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A SPOILT GIRL 


By 

Florence Warden 

Author of 

“ The House on the Marsh,” ** My Child and I,” etc. 




Philadelphia 

J. B. Lippincott Company 

Mdcccxcv 





Copyright, 1895, 

BY 

J. B. Lippincott Company. 


Electrotyped and Printed by J. B, Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, U.S A. 


A SPOILT GIRL 


CHAPTER I. 

'' Be you for parson’s house at Culverley ?’* 

The time was six o’clock in the evening, the sea- 
son September, the place a little way-side station in 
North Kent, and the speaker the driver of the local 
carrier’s cart. 

The person he addressed was a tall, well-dressed 
man, thin, bent, and so hollow of cheeks and bright 
of eyes that the carrier treated him to a long stare of 
unfeigned curiosity and compassion. When the gen- 
tleman spoke, it was in such a harsh, cavernous voice 
that the carrier started and looked at him as if half 
doubtful whether the stranger really belonged to this 
world. 

“ Yes ; I’m for Culverley. Why ?” 

“ ’Cause the Vicar’s cob’s broke down, fell an’ cut 
her knees bad on Cotting Hill, so I was to arsk you if 
so be you’d like a lift to Culverley in the cart there?” 

And he jerked his whip in the direction of a sin- 
gular object outside. 

The stranger followed the direction of the whip 
with curiosity, and saying, “ Well, let’s have a look 
at it first,” he left the platform and proceeded, by the 
light of the station-lamp, to a minute inspection of the 

3 


4 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


vehicle. Meanwhile, the carrier eyed him askance, 
with a resentful suspicion that the stranger’s criticism 
was an unfavourable one. 

“ How far is it to Culverley ?” asked the stranger, 
at last. 

“ Matter o’ four mile,” grunted the carrier. ‘‘You 
can walk if you like, only it’s cornin’ on ter rain, an’ 
it’s ten to one you’ll lose your way at one or other o’ 
the cross-roads,” he added, malignantly. 

The stranger muttered something inaudible, and 
looked inside the cart. A strong smell of apples, a 
stronger one of coffee, a still stronger one of cheese, 
and a vision of two portly ladies hemmed in by huge 
baskets, decided him. 

“ I’ll walk,” said he, “ unless you can make room 
for me beside you.” 

“ Oh, I can do that,” responded John Tustain, 
readily ; “ an’ we can put your luggage at the back 
there right enough.” 

So the porter put the two smart leather portman- 
teau X) the gun-case, and the Gladstone on to the back 
of the cart, where they made a striking and pleasing 
addition to the pile of earthenware, live fowls, and 
Windsor chairs already there. 

Then John Tustain encouraged his horse with a 
clk-clk and a flick of the whip, and on they jogged 
along the level road towards Culverley. 

The stranger was in a taciturn mood, and John 
Tustain, who had ascertained by an inspection of the 
labels on the luggage that the name of his passenger 
was “ Mr. Hubert Besils,” glanced at him with in- 
creasing curiosity. — 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


5 


Been to Culverley before, sir ?” he asked. 

“ No. I answered an advertisement of a furnished 
house to let, and, as it seemed to answer my require- 
ments, I took it by letter.” 

“ Ah, I thought so,” was the prompt and discour- 
aging answer. 

“ Why ? Anything wrong with the place ?” 

“ Oh, no, sir. Not at all, sir. It’s a very nice 
place. All the folks as takes it says as how it’s as 
nice a house as they ever was in, sir.” 

“ All of them ? Why, is it often to let, then ?” 

Well, sir, it’s a nice house, as I said. An’ the 
Vicar he could do with less room an’ more money, 
so he gets a tenant for it when he can, sir.” 

“ I see. What sort of man is he, the Vicar ?” 

“ Oh, a very nice gentleman, indeed, is Mr. Griffith. 
An’ the young ladies, all of the seven, they’re all 
very well liked in the neighbourhood, sir.” 

“ Seven of them ! Then the place is rather over- 
run with the Vicar’s daughters, perhaps ?” 

“ Oh, no, sir. They’re such nice young ladies that 
we couldn’t do with one less, an’ that’s a fact.” 

“ And the sons ? A half-dozen wild boys, perhaps, 
who swarm over the grounds ?” 

“ Oh, no, sir. There’s only two sons, an’ they’re 
both at Oxford.” 

“ Wife a bit of a grey mare ? Most of these par- 
sons’ wives are.” 

No, sir. Nobody has anything but a good word 
for Mrs. Griffith. By the bye, sir, if you should be 
coming back again, I could take your luggage, even 
if you cared to walk yourself.” 

I* 


6 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


To come back ! Why, Tm going to spend the 
winter here, at least.” 

“ Well, sir, I live next door to the blacksmith’s, 
an’ I could fetch your traps any time, if so be you 
should change your mind.” 

“ I won’t forget. But, as I tell you, I am settling ‘ 
down here. I have been ordered rest, and I sha’n’t 
be moving again for some time.” 

From the depths of the cart behind him Mr. 
Besils fancied he caught the sound of a smothered 
explosion of laughter. But the merriment of his 
fellow-travellers did not concern him, of course. 
And then the cart jogged on in the silence of the 
whole party until it came in the dusk to a village, in 
the heart of which a whitewashed and picturesque 
inn stood, inviting travellers. In front of this build- 
ing the carrier’s horse stopped of its own accord, and 
John Tustain, with a grin and a shrug of the shoul- 
ders, took the hint and descended from his seat. 

“ Coming in, sir ?” asked he, as he did so. 

Mr. Besils shook his head, but changed his mind a 
moment later and followed the carrier into the “Dun 
Cow,” just in time to hear that worthy raise a laugh 
at his expense. 

“ Who hev ye got in the cart, John ?” asked a 
crony, as Tustain entered the bar. 

“ Oh, a rum chap enough,” replied John, with a 
broad grin. “ He’s taken parson’s house at Culver- 
\ey—/or rest and qidet ! ” 

And a roar of rude laughter from the entire crowd of 
villagers in the bar told Mr. Besils, who was just out- 
side, that his conduct was considered eccentric indeed. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


7 


** And, pray, will some of you good folk tell me 
the exact objection to my finding rest and quiet in 
parson’s house ?” 

As the deep, harsh voice of the stranger uttered 
these words a sudden hush fell upon the assembly, 
and, while some of the customers buried their faces 
hastily in tankards of ale, the landlord looked with 
curiosity at the tall, gaunt figure, and the landlady 
peeped at him from behind her husband’s back, as if 
there was something uncanny about the person who 
could put such a question. The stranger meant to 
be answered, that was certain. There was a tone in 
his voice that showed that he was accustomed to 
prompt obedience. 

So the landlord made the best of it. 

Well, sir,” said he, of course we didn’t know 
you was so near.” 

“ Well !” 

“ The fact is, sir, that Culverley Place is just behind 
the Vicarage ; an’, you see, sir, people don’t expect 
quiet so near to the Brancepeths.” 

There was chorus of assenting murmurs, and one of 
the bolder spirits in the bar added, emphatically, — 
Old Nick’s abroad when Harry Brancepeth’s not 
at home.” 

And the rest of the assembly chuckled acquiescence. 

The stranger, however, seemed amused rather than 
disturbed by the alarming prospect. 

“ If that’s all,” said he, grimly, “ the Vicarage will 
do well enough for me. I think I can manage to 
survive Harry Brancepeth and all his works, and be 
comfortable in spite of him.” 


8 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


For a moment the assembly seemed to lose its 
breath. Some of the men in the bar looked at each 
other, and some looked at the landlord, and some, 
when they had recovered themselves a little, went so 
far as to wink. It was evident that they enjoyed the 
joke hugely, poor as it seemed to the stranger to be. 
Mr. Besils paid for the glass of ale he had ordered 
and not tasted, and went back to his seat in the cart. 
John Tustain followed, in high good humour, for he 
was still enjoying the merriment occasioned by his 
companion. 

How many are there of this alarming crew of 
Brancepeths ?” asked Mr. Besils, as they drove along 
up a steep hill, with a picturesque and striking hedge 
on either side of it. 

“ Well, there’s old Sir Giles, but he don’t count 
hardly now, for he’s been paralysed this five year, 
an’ it’s all that time since he’s been on a horse. He 
was master of the hounds, he was, an’ a pleasant 
gentleman enough when he was sober; but, Lord, 
when he wasn’t he was a caution ! They said he was 
meant to ha’ lived in the times when we was all slaves 
to the great folk. But he wasn’t a bad sort, an’ he 
was a rare good ’un compared to the young ’uns.” 

And John Tustain shook his head emphatically. 

“ And how many are there of them ?” 

“ There’s Giles, that’s got his father’s name, but 
little else of his father that’s worth havin’. He’s 
twenty-five now, an’ he’s crammed enough wicked- 
ness into that twenty-five years to last any ordinary 
man fifty. An’ then there’s Athelstan, an’, if any- 
thing, he’s rather worse than his brother. An’ then 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


9 

there’s Radley, an’ for certain he worse than the 
other two put together. An’ then — an’ then — ” 
went on John, honest John, with the air of one who 
was coming to a climax at last — “an’ then there’s 
Harry !’’ He paused significantly, and then added, 
with forced calmness, “ Well, I won’t tell you nothing 
about Harry, for you might think as I was making 
up. That’s the ringleader, that’s all I’ll say. An’ 
then there’s Quin, but he’s youngish, not more’n 
seventeen ; but he won’t be no different from the rest, 
that’s certain.” 

Mr. Besils listened with great interest, but with 
still more incredulity. It was evident that he took 
the reports he had heard with a large grain of salt. 
The wickedness which makes a sensation in the 
country might pass for average rectitude in town. 

“ And what do they do, these desperadoes ?” he 
asked in his harsh, mocking voice. “ Do they string 
up a groom to the nearest tree if he fails to touch his 
hat with sufficient civility ? Or have they been known 
to have a quiet rubber of whist on a wet Sunday ?” 

The countryman saw that he was being “ chaffed,” 
and at once grew sullen. 

“ You’ll see, sir, soon enough,” he answered, 
drily. 

Mr. Besils saw that he had given offence, and he 
proceeded to make amends. 

“ Seriously,” said he, in a less irritating tone, “ and 
without a moment doubting the accuracy of your 
reports, you must allow that it is very difficult to 
conceive how the mere fact that a particular family 
reside in a detached house in a neighbourhood can 


lO 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


be enough to render intolerable the existence of an- 
other family in another detached house in the neigh- 
bourhood. Why, at that rate the five of them would 
go far towards depopulating the county !” 

The carrier chuckled drily. 

“ All I can say is that the Vicarage has been let 
five times this year, an’ that none of the five tenants 
have stayed a month.” 

But the new tenant uttered a short, derisive laugh. 

“ They won’t get me out in a month,” said he. 

The carrier gave his companion a whimsical look, 
but he said, civilly — 

“ Well, sir, I’m sure I hope they won’t, especially 
if you’re wishful not to be moving again so soon. 
At the same time, for people that’s getting on in life, 
an’ not in the best of health, sudden shocks an’ 
the pranks of a tribe of savages make a sharp sort 
of a medicine.” 

Mr. Besils looked quickly at his companion. 

“ How old do you suppose I am, then ?” he asked, 
with some interest. 

John was taken aback by this unexpected ques- 
tion. He paused an instant before replying, and 
when he did so, it was with the evident intention of 
flattering his fare by taking a half-dozen years off 
his age : 

‘‘ Well, sir, not more than four- or five-an’ forty, I 
don’t suppose.” 

Mr. Besils’ strongly marked countenance con- 
tracted with some expression which the carrier could 
not read ; but he said nothing, and they jogged on in 
silence until, half-way up the long hill, John turned his 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


II 


horse’s head and stopped the cart to give the animal 
a few minutes’ rest. As he put a stone behind one 
of the wheels, he raised his head suddenly, listening. 

“ Did you hear that ?” he asked, sharply. 

Mr. Besils listened too. 

“ I hear horses galloping, and — and a voice shout- 
ing.” 

John Tustain nodded. 

'‘I thought so,” said he, ominously. ‘‘Them’s 
Brancepeths, or I’m a Dutchman 1” 

“ And what if they are ?” 

“ It just depends on how the fit takes them,” said 
John, laconically. And going to the front of the 
cart, he nodded to the two women inside, and told 
them to “ Hold tight, for them devils was coming.” 

Hubert Besils laughed, pulled up his silk muffler, 
chose a cigar, and settled himself for a smoke. He 
had not the least doubt but that a few words from 
him would have the power to exact from the young 
men the respect which most men pay to a good- 
humoured remonstrance from another man of their 
Own class. 

The sound of hoofs came nearer. The riders 
were coming up the hill, and at a good pace. They 
were laughing and talking all together, making, as 
John Tustain observed, noise enough for a regiment. 
They were clearly in a lively mood. It was now so 
dark that even when the merry party came .very 
near, Hubert, looking out from beneath the hood of 
the cart, could get no better view than of a dark 
cloud of moving figures behind a lighter cloud of 
dust. But he discerned five little red specks of light 


12 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


from five cigars or cigarettes, and he was thus en- 
abled to decide that of the whole lawless tribe not 
one was missing. 

He was much amused to notice that the two 
women inside the cart and Tustain himself were a 
prey to real trepidation, and that they listened, and 
tried to appear unconcerned, much as a party of non- 
combatants might do who found themselves close to 
the enemy in war-time. All he was anxious about 
was that he might get as good a look at them as 
might be as they rode past. 

Suddenly above the gallop-gallop of the horses, 
and the babble of laughter and talk, there rose a 
wild cry like the war-whoop of a savage. Then 
someone said “ Hush !” and there was a pause of an 
instant, all the horses being stopped with a jerk, 
while the riders whispered together. 

John Tustain groaned, and went quickly to his 
horse’s head. 

For a moment there was silence, and Hubert, ex- 
cited against his will, looked out at the dark mass a 
little way below, and felt his pulses stirred with ex- 
pectancy. He saw the trees waving above the group, 
and the distant blur of light in the low ground below, 
where the spires of the town of Fernsham were 
massed together in the dusk. And he heard the im- 
patient pawing of the horses and the hiss of the 
whispered consultation. Then there was a cry, a 
rush, he scarcely knew what. The carrier’s horse 
was backed, his traces were cut, and with a smart 
crack of a hunting-stock the animal was sent gallop- 
ing down the hill, while the perpetrators of the out- 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


13 


rage, with a mocking laugh and a simultaneous cry 
of “ Good-evening, gentlemen !” went up the hill at 
a smart trot, and disappeared at the next turn of the 
road without so much as a glance behind. 


CHAPTER 11. 

“ Perhaps you’ll believe me now when I say they’re 
old Nick’s own brood,” grumbled the carrier, as he 
picked himself up from the border of grass at the 
side of the road, where he had been flung by his 
riotous assailants. 

But Hubert Besils was too much enraged to an- 
swer. To be treated with such indignity by a parcel 
of rude hobbledehoys was an experience as unprece- 
dented as it was revolting. At the same time the 
outrage put him upon his metal and gave him a new 
interest ; and he said to himself, as he set his teeth 
hard, that he would not leave Culverley until he had 
shown these rough young cubs that there was one 
person at least in the world whom they could not 
mock and insult with impunity. 

John Tustain had gone limping down the hill in 
search of his horse; so Hubert, impatient at this 
delay, told his two frightened female fellow-passen- 
gers that he should finish his journey on foot, and, 
having received some direction from them, proceeded 
up the hill at a brisk walk. 

He was not long in reaching the summit, and he 
2 


14 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


then saw before him a stretch of flat table-land across 
which a level road, still bordered by a hedge on 
either side, led to the little village of Culverley. He 
had just taken the right fork of two branching roads, 
when he saw the lights of the village twinkling at 
the bottom of a slight descent before him. On his 
left the hedge now gave place to a high park wall, 
overhung by a thick growth of trees, and a little 
further he came to the tall iron gates, through which 
he got a peep at a square unpretending building, 
representing two periods and two styles of homely 
architecture, which he afterwards discovered to be 
the home of the notorious Brancepeths. 

This being satisfactory evidence that the end of 
his journey was nearly reached, Hubert pushed on 
more quickly, and in a few minutes found himself in 
one of the prettiest villages in England. 

An ancient and picturesque church, one portion 
of which was the sole remnant of a monastic estab- 
lishment of the thirteenth century, stood on high 
ground in the centre of the village, well sheltered by 
trees. From the south porch a straight, steep path, 
bordered with yew-trees, led through the hilly church- 
yard down into the little group of irregular, red-roofed 
cottages which clustered at its foot. Nothing in the 
village was straight, or formal, or made with any 
thought of economy of space or convenience. The 
road wound round the hill, and branched off to the 
right and left, in delightfully irregular curves. The 
cottages did not form a stiff, straight border to the 
road, but were planted here and there, at every 
imaginable angle, in accordance with the whimsical 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


15 


caprices and requirements of the builders of centuries 
ago. You walked up a narrow and unnecessary 
alley to the post-office, which was a thatched cottage 
with a glass jar in the window containing “jumbles” 
and a basket of new-laid eggs. At the next turn in 
the winding road you came upon an ancient inn, with 
pointed gables and beams of carved timber let into 
the dark brick front. 

At this point the cottages came to an end on this 
side of the village ; and Hubert Besils, who had been 
tempted thus far by the quaint charm of the place, 
retraced his steps to the path at the foot of the 
church-yard. 

And here he found himself face to face with the 
Vicarage itself, which stood at an angle formed by 
the road by which he had entered the village and an- 
other road which skirted the east side of the church- 
yard, rising to the high ground beyond the village 
by a steep ascent. Here, on the summit of the hill, 
Hubert found on the church side of the road a plain, 
substantial house set at right angles to it, and on the 
opposite side an inn more modern and more preten- 
tious than the first, but picturesque also in its irregu- 
larity of front and in the multiplicity of its outbuild- 
ings. 

Having made this survey of the village, the traveller 
returned to his own new domicile with a pleasant sense 
of comfort awaiting him, for the long, low, red-tiled 
building, well walled-in from the road and embowered 
in trees and evergreens, was just such a house as he 
would have chosen. He had already noticed that 
the garden must be of considerable size, and that 


i6 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


the height of the enclosing wall diminished as it 
ascended the hill. 

Just as he stopped for a moment to look over this 
wall into an open space of lawn and flower-bed, he 
heard again the sounds which he had already learnt to 
associate with the approach of the Brancepeths. This 
time the noise of hoofs and voices came from the trees 
which stood either in or behind the Vicarage garden. 

The sounds brought the blood to Hubert’s head, 
and he instinctively drew himself up and clenched 
his fists, although he had no immediate expectation 
of seeing the young rascals, who must be, he sup- 
posed, riding through their own park. 

To his utter amazement, however, he saw the 
whole party, riders, horses, and all, emerging from 
the trees at a gallop and riding straight across the 
Vicarage lawn, taking grass, flower-beds, paths, just 
as they came, and making for a place where the wall 
was low. Here they ‘‘ took off” in beautiful order, 
and landing in the road outside, galloped past the 
new tenant down the hill, and turned sharply to the 
right in the direction of the park-gates. 

Hubert had been too much taken by surprise by 
the unparalleled audacity of this fresh outrage to 
offer even the mildest protest. But when he dashed 
open the Vicarage gate and thundered at the knocker, 
his hand was trembling and his face was white with 
passion. 

The door was opened by one of his own servants, 
who had come on the previous day to prepare for his 
arrival. 

At the very first sight of her lugubrious counte- 


A SPOILT GIRL. 1 / 

nance, Hubert felt sure that he should have to listen 
to more doings of the undesirable neighbours. 

“ Well,” said he, sharply, have you settled down 
all right ? And is the luggage come ?” 

*‘The luggage has come at last, sir, all except 
yours,” answered she. But Oh, sir, the peo- 
ple that live near ” 

That’ll do for the present,’’ interrupted her mas- 
ter, shortly. “ I’ll hear all about it by and by.” 

But, sir, please I must just tell you this, that the 
cook wouldn’t stand it, and she’s gone back to Hull,” 
said the servant, in a tone which seemed to threaten 
a similar move on her own part. “She said she 
wasn’t used to being chased round the grounds by a 
pack of human wolves, nor yet to having rockets let 
off outside her kitchen door, please, sir !” 

“ What !” roared Hubert, glaring at the brown 
copies of “ old masters” which hung on the walls of 
the hall. 

“ Yes, sir. And, if you please, they all ride right 
through the orchard and across the lawn half a dozen 
times a day, and nobody dares to speak to them ; and, 
if you please, sir, everybody says that it’s impossible 
to live near them, and they say they are just the 
curse of the county. They’re a deal more like 
heathen savages than Christian gentlefolks, sir, and 
I hope, sir, you won’t think of staying unless you 
get them to promise to behave better.” 

“Of course I will,” said Mr. Besils, impatiently, 
“ Do you suppose, Hatchard, that I shall allow any 
half-dozen undisciplined cubs to play their pranks on 
me and my household unchecked ?” 
b a* 


i8 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


“No, sir, I don’t suppose you will,” answered 
Hatchard in a more equable tone. She had been 
some years housekeeper as well as parlour-maid in 
Hubert Besils’ bachelor establishment, and knew that 
he was the last man in the world to bear any sort of 
thwarting or annoyance calmly. 

“ So set your mind at rest, and cook me a chop,” 
said he, already mollified by finding the wide, low 
hall, with its dark pictures, bright draperies, and 
shallow, old-fashioned staircase, as much to his taste 
as the exterior of the house had been. 

And he walked into an inviting room on the right, 
which proved to be the drawing-room, and in full 
view of the ravages done by the intruders on the 
smooth lawn, he made up his mind that he would 
grapple with the enemy without delay. 

For he was determined to stay in his doubtful quar- 
ters, not only because he liked the house itself, but 
because the idea of a fight with these scatter-brained 
young rascals gave his rather dogged and pugna- 
cious nature just the stimulus he liked. 

It was indeed by virtue of these same qualities of 
bull-dog courage and tenacity that Hubert Besils 
had made his way. Forced by the death of his 
father when he was little more than a boy into a 
responsible position at the head of a great shipping 
firm, he had overworked himself steadily and persist- 
ently ever since, with the result that he was threat- 
ened with complete breakdown, and found himself 
suddenly banished, by his physician’s peremptory 
orders, into an exile which would have proved tedious 
without the excitement provided by the Brancepeths. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


19 


As it was, he had already become quite eager for 
the fray ; and no sooner had he made a tour of the 
cosy, old-fashioned house, and eaten his chop in a 
low-ceilinged, oak-panelled dining-room, than he put 
on his hat and started to complain to the Vicar. 

The present abode of the Reverend Francis Grif- 
fith and his family proved to be the old house just 
outside the church-yard. Hubert went through the 
little gate, along the stone-flagged path which ran 
close under the house-wall, until he came to a door 
painted green, as unpretending as the back door 
of a cottage. He rang the bell, and the door was 
immediately opened by a tall, fair, mild-looking girl 
who had round shoulders and wore spectacles. One 
of the Vicar’s daughters, evidently. 

^‘Can I see Mr. Griffith?” asked Hubert, with de- 
termination. 

Papa is away,” answered the young lady, with a 
frightened look. “But if you will call again to- 
morrow ” 

“ Thank you. Can I see Mrs. Griffith ? I will not 
detain her long.” 

The girl hesitated, and glanced round her appre- 
hensively. 

“ I’m afraid that wouldn’t be of much use, if you 
have any business to talk about. Mamma is almost 
an invalid.” 

At that moment a door on the right opened, and a 
bright girl’s face looked out. At a glance from her 
sister, the owner of the face sprang into the little 
narrow hall, which was hardly more than a passage. 

“You are Mr. Besils, I suppose?” said she, de- 


20 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


cidedly. Of course we can guess what you have 
come about. Please come in.” 

She went back to the door by which she had en- 
tered the hall and held it open. The next moment 
Hubert found himself in a low-ceilinged, plainly-fur- 
nished room, which seemed to be full of nothing but 
girls, tall, fair, and spectacled, like the first one he 
had seen. The bright-faced one, who was darker of 
hair and complexion than the rest, and who was the 
only exception to the type, took the lead again. 

“ You’ve come to complain of the Brancepeths.” 

The visitor, in a meeker tone, admitted that he 
had. 

Well, then we may as well tell you at once that 
we can do nothing, and that if you can’t manage 
either to make terms with them or to force them to 
make terms with you, you may as well go away 
again at once, just as everybody else does.” 

“Kathleen!” protested one or two of the pale 
and spectacled ones. 

“ It’s quite true,” persisted the audacious Kathleen, 
doggedly. “And it’s best to say so at once. Of 
course it would have been better still to have warned 
you before you came of what you had to expect. 
But when you’re dreadfully poor ” 

“ Kathleen 1” protested two or three more of the 
girls. 

— And it’s dreadfully important whether you let 
your house or not, you have to stifle the promptings 
of the higher morality.” 

“ Kathleen I” 

The protest was quite a breathless one this time. 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


21 


Meanwhile/’ went on the rebellious one calmly, 
** there’s always the chance that a tenant will turn up 
who’s not to be daunted by Brancepeths.” 

“Why, yes,” said Hubert, grimly, “that tenant’s 
turned up now !” 

Seven girls’ faces were turned in an instant eagerly 
towards him. 

“ Hooray !” cried Kathleen. “ Of course, you 
know, they wouldn’t be so bad if it were not for 
Harry. You’ve heard of Harry ?” 

“ Oh, yes. I’ve heard of Harry.” 

“Well, quell Harry and the rest will be easy. 
Some of the others are not all bad, so they say.” 

At this point there was a demure exchange of 
faint, pale smiles among Kathleen’s sisters. 

Hubert, who had some work in hand, got up to 

go- 

“ I want to know where I can find a couple of men 
who would do a bit of rough work for me to-night. 
Labourers would do.” 

“ Well, at this time in the evening your best chance 
would be to look in the public-houses,” said Kath- 
leen. “ But I warn you that whatever you do will 
be reported up at the Place. The villagers have to 
keep ‘ in’ with them up there, or their lives wouldn’t 
be worth living.” 

She ran down the stone path to open the gate for 
the visitor, and gave him an encouraging nod of 
farewell as he reached the door of “ The Chequers.” 

When morning dawned at Culverley, a superstruc- 
ture of boards had been built up along the top of 
the Vicarage garden on the orchard side, making it 


22 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


two feet higher, and on the top of this had been 
fastened a length of barbed wire. 

At ten o’clock Hubert went out to chuckle over 
his work — and found the boarding and the wire torn 
down and fresh hoof-marks on the lawn. And then 
a note, brought by a grinning groom, was handed to 
him. 

The handwriting was large, and round and bold, 
and the contents were these : 

Sir, — I and my brothers have always been used 
to riding through the Vicarage grounds, and we 
mean to do so still. 

** Yours truly, 

Harrington Brancepeth. 

" Besils, Esq.” 


Hubert, who was getting quite happy in the ex- 
citement of this contest, instantly went in search of 
a board of suitable size, and having painted it black 
with his own hands, inscribed upon it in white letters 
these words : 

*'Any Person Attempting to Ride through This 
Garden will be Stopped.” 

This board he had put up at the place where the 
Brancepeths were in the habit of jumping over the 
wall into the garden. Then he got out his hunting- 
crop, lit a cigar, and took up his position in a low 
basket-chair, to read his paper. 

Nothing happened until about a quarter to one, 
when he heard the voices in the distance, and pre- 
pared himself for action. On the noisy group came, 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


23 


with their usual clatter, tearing through the orchard, 
making straight for the garden wall. Hubert kept 
his seat, did not even turn round until he heard the 
sound of a horse’s hoofs on the garden path behind 
him. 

At that sound he sprang up, faced about, and with 
great nimbleness and celerity caught the bridle of 
the oncoming horse and ran with the animal, checking 
his speed and causing him to swerve suddenly. 

Give it him, Harry ! Cut him down !” shouted a 
voice behind the foremost rider. 

Obeying this injunction almost before it was given, 
the leader of the party leaned forward in the saddle 
to strike Hubert with a whip. But the new tenant, 
instead of releasing the animal, pulled him still 
further round, and so suddenly that his rider was 
unseated and thrown to the ground. 

And Hubert, amazed, confused, ashamed, but 
hardly remorseful, saw that the rider whom he had 
so roughly unhorsed was a woman. 

“ What ! Harry thrown !” “ Harry hurt !” cried the 
rest of the band, as the remaining marauders imme- 
diately swung off their horses and surrounded their 
sister. Hubert, stunned with perplexity, mechani- 
cally offered the young lady a helping hand. But 
she sprang to her feet, crimson with rage and morti- 
fication, and disengaged herself rudely from one of 
her brothers, who had put his arm affectionately 
round her. 

Don’t. Don’t !” she cried in a strangled voice. 
‘‘ I’m not hurt, but I must thrash him for this. Out 
of the way, out of the way, and let me get at him !” 


24 


A SPOILT GIRL. - 


Before Hubert had got over the shock of finding 
that the redoubtable “ Harry” was one of “ the gen- 
tler sex,” Miss Brancepeth had sprung upon him like 
a young tigress, and lashed him furiously with her 
riding-whip. 


CHAPTER III. 

At the first blow from Miss Brancepeth’s stinging 
little whip Hubert Besils’ face turned livid; at the 
second, a bar of bright scarlet rose from his chin on 
the left side to his cheek-bone on the right, causing 
his lip to swell, and making a mark which was almost 
a cut in the flesh. She raised her whip a third time; 
but he was too quick for her ; seizing her uplifted 
hand, he tore the whip out of it so roughly that she 
uttered a little cry, and held her wrist with her other 
hand. 

“You brute! You’ve hurt her. You’ve hurt my 
sister 1” shouted one of the young men, whom Hubert 
afterwards knew to be Athelstan, the second son. 

And he made a rush at Hubert. 

But he was not prepared for the ferocity of Besils’ 
counter-attack. Before Athelstan’s upraised fist could 
touch him, the new tenant of the Vicarage stepped 
quickly out of his way, and striking out with his fist 
in his turn, landed on his would-be assailant’s cheek 
a blow which threw him staggering backwards. 

Whereupon Giles, the eldest son, came to his 
brother’s rescue, and was advancing with his hunting- 


A SPOILT GIRL, 2$ 

stock ready, when Harry stepped forward and barred 
his progress. 

“That’s not fair!’^ she cried, in an authoritative 
tone. “We are four to one. He mustn’t call us 
cowards 

“ That’s just what I do call you,” said Hubert, with 
less anger than contempt in his voice. “ A pack of 
wretched, cowardly cads, without a spark of manli- 
ness in the men or womanliness in the woman. 
You’re not fit to live in a civilized country, any of 
you ; and if you only had the pluck to go about by 
yourselves, instead of in gangs, like the ruffians you 
are, you would precious soon get knocked on the 
head by some of the people you have ill-used ; and 
it would serve you right.” 

This tirade, delivered with all the energy he was 
capable of, threw the assembly for an instant into the 
silence of absolute amazement. 

It was the very first time that the lawless lot had 
been told the plain truth about their conduct in plain 
terms : the first time that they had been told, in so 
many words, that what they had thought dashing 
and spirited was really despicable and odious, and 
that instead of being a daring band they were only a 
ruffianly gang. 

Of course they were not convinced: it was not 
likely that they would give up a long-cherished belief 
so readily. But it was at least something to have 
made them hear reason, even although they would 
hardly listen to it. And the pale, lean man, with 
the swollen bar of red flesh across his face, scored a 
moral victory, as he stood facing the angry group, 
B 3 


26 


A SPOIL 7 GIRL. 


and directed his piercing grey eyes first on one face 
and then on another, not omitting to give the lady, 
as well as her brothers, the full benefit of his scornful 
glances. 

Harry was the first to recover herself. She had 
become very pale while listening to Hubert, but it 
was apparently with indignation and not with shame ; 
for when he had finished, she turned her head 
haughtily to her eldest brother, and said — 

“ Really, I don’t think it’s necessary for us to stay 
and listen to any more of this person’s vulgar abuse. 
Our remedy is with Mr. Griffith. We must go and 
protest against his letting his house to trades- 
men !” 

It happened, unfortunately for Miss Brancepeth, 
that this speech, which was meant to be overwhelm- 
ing, was heard by one more person than she ex- 
pected. The whole party had been so much absorbed 
in the exciting incidents and conversation of the last 
few minutes, that not one of them had noticed the 
sounds of wheels and hoofs in the road outside the 
garden. 

Everybody was rather startled, therefore, when a 
tall, well-dressed woman, of the same type as Hubert 
himself, but better-looking than he, suddenly appeared 
in the midst of the group. She threw herself into 
the fray at once, regarding Harry through her long- 
handled eyeglasses with a haughty stare which even 
that hardy young lady found difficult to confront. 

“ Tradesmen !” she said, taking up the girl’s last 
word with contemptuous surprise. Have you been 
taught, young people, that persons can be insulted 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


27 


with impunity if they happen to be tradesmen ? And 
are you under the impression that my brother keeps 
a small shop and that you are his social superiors ?” 

** We are certainly that,” answered Harry, drawing 
herself up. “We are one of the oldest families in 
Kent.” 

“ And we,” said the new-comer, quietly, “ are one 
of the oldest families in England. But I quite under- 
stand that you are too ignorant to know that.” Then, 
turning with a very dignified sweep of the head to 
her brother, she said, “ Surely, Hubert, these people 
are not here by your invitation ?” 

“No,” answered he, promptly; “they are tres- 
passers.” 

“ Evidently, then,” said the lady, quickly, “ how- 
ever long they may have been established in Kent, 
they have not yet been here long enough to learn 
good manners.” 

There was now a movement among the male in- 
truders which showed that they felt they had been 
where they were long enough. The appearance and 
manner of the unknown lady had impressed them 
more than their sister, who made a final attempt to 
reassert the supremacy which she felt that she had 
lost since the sudden appearance of the older lady 
upon the scene. 

“ At any rate,” said Harry, raising her voice and 
speaking with an air of reckless defiance, “ I’ve given 
the person you call your brother a taste of what he 
may expect if he dares to interfere with us.” 

And she threw a half-angry, half-frightened glance 
at Mr. Besils’ disfigured face. 


28 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


The other lady uttered a little cry of horror and 
indignation. 

Really/’ she said, after a moment’s pause, I’m 
afraid we shall have to make our friends in Kent 
among the lower classes, if these are the habits and 
customs of the best families.” 

Again there was a stir among the Brancepeth 
brothers, and the eldest touched his sister’s arm 
impatiently. But Harry resented this, and said, 
sullenly — 

”It was his own fault. He brought it upon 
himself. He threw me oft* my horse: and,” she 
continued, suddenly firing up with a passionate 
anger far surpassing all her previous outbursts, ” I’ve 
never been thrown before, never in my life. I might 
have been killed !” 

” It was indeed fortunate that such a fearful 
calamity as that was avoided,” retorted Hubert’s 
sister in her most cutting tones. 

But this was too much for Harry’s brothers. 
Athelstan, the tallest of the family, and perhaps the 
wildest looking, protested. 

” I daresay it wouldn’t have mattered to either of 
you if she’d been killed, but you see we ruffians 
happen to be fond of our fellow-ruffian.” 

“And,” added the eldest in a still louder voice 
than his brothers, “ if you had hurt her, by Heaven 
we’d made you pay for it !” 

“ I don’t know whether one may dare suggest that 
we should be glad to have the place to ourselves for 
a little while?” said Hubert’s sister, blandly. “But 
if ” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


29 


The Brancepeths were delighted to get away. 
The whole adventure of riding over their neighbour's 
lawn and flower-beds had been spoilt for them by the 
mean-spirited reception of these miserable strangers. 
They did not attempt to mount their horses again, 
but led them through the little front gate as quickly 
as they could, doing more mischief than ever, though 
it was unintentional this time, among the late gera- 
niums, the asters, and the chrysanthemums in their 
awkward efforts to pass all together through a space 
only wide enough for one. 

Harry went last, and as she paused a moment at 
the gate, she turned to say, in the most insolent tone 
she could assume — 

I suppose you think we’re ashamed of ourselves. 
But we’re not.” 

‘‘ I think you ought to be,” retorted Hubert’s sis- 
ter; “but I know that is reason enough why you 
should not be.” 

Harry, having by this time passed through the 
gate, made her final retort by slamming it violently 
behind her. For a moment there was silence be- 
tween the brother and sister. 

Then Hubert said — 

“ Don’t be too hard upon the girl. I don’t sup- 
pose she has any brains to spare, and she has been 
villainously brought up. It’s not her fault that she’s 
odious ; it’s her misfortune.” 

His sister glanced over his shoulder, with a ma- 
licious little smile; and then Hubert heard the 
tramp of horses on the other side of the wall. The 
Brancepeths had for once in their lives behaved 


30 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


quietly, and mounted their horses in silence; so that 
it was not until they rode off that Hubert learned 
how near they had been. 

“ They must have heard what I said, Tm afraid,’* 
said he. 

“ Well, it is evidently time they did hear a little 
truth about themselves,’* said his sister, as she put 
her hand affectionately through his arm and led 
him towards the house. “ To think that you should 
have come here for rest and to recover your health, 
and that you should drop into such a hornet’s nest 
as this I You must go away with me to-morrow. 
Better come to our place, although you don’t like 
London, than run the risk of being killed by these 
young savages. Or shall we go over to Paris, and on 
to the Riviera ?” 

" No,” said Hubert, decidedly. ** I hate the Riviera. 
One meets there such a lot of brutes one’s had enough 
of in England. And London, no, I couldn’t stand 
London. You can go back if you like; of course I 
can’t expect you to stay in such a hole as this. But 
I intend to finish out my six months,” he went on in 
a dogged tone. ‘‘ I’m not going to be frightened 
away by those cubs.” 

His sister sighed. To argue with Hubert was out 
of the question : he had will enough for half a dozen. 

‘'Then I’ll stay with you,” she said, resignedly, 
“ And in the mean time come indoors and let me try 
to do something for your poor face.” 

The Brancepeths rode home without once recover- 
ing their wonted boisterous spirits. They snapped 
at each other a little, and were altogether lacking in 


A SPOILT GIRL. 3 1 

that dash and spirit on which they usually prided 
themselves. 

Harry, in particular, was moody and cross. That 
fall from her horse rankled in her heart ; she felt that 
it lowered her in the esteem of her brothers, with 
whom her daring horsemanship was a special subject 
of pride. She was not altogether pleased with the 
rest of the adventure. Spoilt hoyden as she was, 
she had been unable to listen to the words of Hubert 
and his sister without certain disagreeable pricks of 
conscience. Conceited as she and her brothers were, 
the contempt of them and the disgust with their con- 
duct which had been shown to-day by the audacious 
strangers had found out a weak spot in their armour 
of self-esteem. 

“What a horrid woman she was!” Harry said, 
querulously, as they approached their own place. 

There was a moment’s pause. 

“ Wasn’t she a dreadful creature, Athelstan ?” per- 
sisted Harry in a still more decided tone. 

“ Well, she — she did say some nasty things,” ad- 
mitted her brother in an exasperatingly mild voice, 
“ but she’s a fine woman, and, and ” 

Harry laughed contemptuously. 

“ Perhaps you’ll say that the man was a fine 
man ?” 

Here fortunately she got more sympathy, and of 
the characteristic kind she was accustomed to. 

“ Beast !” said Giles. 

“ Brute 1” said Radley. 

“ Puppy !” said Athelstan. 

“ And the idea of their calling us ill-bred I” cried 


32 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Harry. '^Wasn’t it too funny? As if we were 
sweeps like themselves !” 

But here again there was an unaccountable hesi- 
tancy on the part of the more timid males. 

“ I don’t know about their being sweeps !” sug- 
gested Athelstan with an air of critical doubt. 

“ She's not a sweep, if he is !” said Giles, decidedly. 

‘‘ Perhaps you like to hear your sister told that 
it would have been a good thing if she had been 
killed !” cried Harry. 

Rubbish ! WeVe found our match in one way ; 
we shall have to try to be even with him in another,” 
said Giles. 

The third son, Radley, whistled. 

“ I met old Griffith this morning,” said he, “ and 
he begged me to tell you all that he hoped we 
wouldn’t worry his tenant, as he was a good one and 
very rich.” 

Giles looked at his brother. 

** Wonder if he likes baccarat,” said he, under his 
breath. 

Athelstan, who was the nearest to him, said, 
quickly — 

'‘He won’t play with us, if he does, after this 
morning !” 

Giles looked steadily at his horse’s ears and said 
no more. But he was thoughtful and silent for the 
rest of the short ride ; and as he stooped to open the 
gate, on reaching home, his brother Radley asked 
him, in a low voice, what he was thinking about. 

"I’ll tell you presently,” answered Giles in the 
same tone. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


33 


And they all bent their heads, and parted the over- 
hanging boughs of the yews and the beeches with 
their whips as they rode up past the house and round 
to the stable entrance beyond. 


CHAPTER IV. 

CuLVERLEY Place was by no means the imposing 
mansion which a stranger might have expected from 
the airs its possessor gave themselves. A plain two- 
storeyed house, painted white, with a slate roof which 
sloped down to either side from the centre, it had no 
pretensions to architectural beauty or even to great 
size. 

There was only a very short drive from the gate 
to the house, and a modest little portico sheltered a 
modest front door, on each side of which was a large 
window. There was a little lawn in front of the 
house, and another on the right-hand side, with 
bright beds of flowers relieving the mass of green. 
On the left side of the house, and at the back, the 
trees grew thickly ; while a fringe of tall evergreens 
shut in the garden from the road in front. 

The whole effect, to a new-comer, was gloomy in 
the extreme. No outlook at all in any direction was 
there. For even on the right where there was a 
little bit of open space, fenced in with wire, there 
was only a view into the cherry orchard, the trees of 
which grew close up to the fence. 

The entrance hall was not very large, and was 
chiefly remarkable for the unmistakable evidence it 


34 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


gave of the bias of the tastes of its owners. The 
low walls were covered with foxes’ pates, some 
mounted badly, some mounted well, some dating 
from two generations back, some the spoils of more 
recent adventure. Wherever there was a space on 
the walls between these trophies, sporting pictures, 
most of them bad ones, were hung, or inartistically 
arranged bundles of swords, yataghans. South Sea 
islanders’ spears, hunting-crops, and fishing-rods. 
In one corner was a collection of guns, old and new, 
from the ancient flint-lock to the latest thing in 
breech-loaders. 

One other feature made this hall remarkable, and 
that was the apparently careful manner in which the 
architect had shut out the daylight. An unaccus- 
tomed foot would have stumbled half a dozen times 
on its way from the front door to the staircase. 

Just before reaching this you came to an opening 
on the right where a door had formerly been, and 
passing through this you found yourself in what had 
once been the drawing-room, but which was now a 
comfortable inner hall, with a fireplace and a table in 
the middle. This corner of the house held a good 
many relics of foreign travel early in the century. A 
former generation of Brancepeths, more civilized than 
those who now occupied the old house, had collected 
delicate carvings in ivory, curiosities in jade and 
Indian brass-work, ancient altar-cloths, and quaint 
Bohemian goblets. 

All these the young Brancepeths regarded as lum- 
ber, and so they were allowed to rest in the glass 
cases which were fastened to the walls of this nook. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 35 

At the end of this inner hall was a door which 
opened into the drawing-room. 

This apartment belonged to a different epoch. 
While the rest of the rooms were low, this was 
lofty ; and while they were comparatively small, this 
one was long and wide. It had, in fact, been added 
to the building at the beginning of the present cen- 
tury, a hundred years later than the erection of the 
main structure. 

It was a pleasant room, fragrant with memories 
of a past generation of the ladies who wore sandals 
and carried reticules, who read “ The Keepsake” with 
interest, and whose ideal of beauty was “ raven-black” 
hair, a consumptive complexion, sloping shoulders, 
and a bent neck. 

These were the dead-and-gone inhabitants who 
were responsible for the papier-mache tables and 
trays, with wonderful representations of flowers in 
mother-o’-pearl ; for the pot-pourri bowls, the harp, 
and the “ Flight into Egypt” in cross-stitch, framed 
and glazed and, moreover, honoured by candle- 
branches attached to its frame, which hung in a 
conspicuous position on the white-and-gold wall. 

Family portraits in every medium. — oil, water- 
colour, and crayon — hung on the walls which they 
failed to adorn. The furniture and the carpet were 
pale-coloured; the curtains matched the furniture, 
and were of light brocade, lined with yellow satin. 
A tall, glass-backed chiffonier, a dainty davenport, 
and a modern upright grand piano, with its back 
against the wall, were the remaining most noticeable 
features of the room, which had two tall windows 


A SPOILT GIRL 


36 

reaching to the ground, and admitting as much day- 
light as the trees did not shut out. 

In one corner of this room little Lady Maggie 
Spene, the late Lady Brancepeth’s widowed sister, 
was “ doing her accounts” when Harry burst in. 

Why, my dear, what’s the matter ?” asked she, as 
she noticed the frown on her niece’s face. 

“ The matter is that we’ve been insulted, ill treated, 
all of us, by a couple of — of — of cheese-mongers !” 
cried the girl, pulling off her gloves and throwing 
them to her aunt, who caught them and smoothed 
them out without remark. 

“ Dear me !” said she, too much used to these 
young people and their ways either to protest or to 
take the information quite literally. 

Lady Maggie had managed her brother-in-law’s 
household for the past fourteen years, and was popu- 
larly supposed to lead an awful life among the wild 
Brancepeths. But, as a matter of fact, the tiny lady, 
who was as great a contrast to them in appearance 
as she was in character, secretly admired her unruly 
brood, and considered them a spirited, handsome lot, 
superior to herself in every way, and spent her time 
in meek remonstrances to them, in apologies to other 
people, and in prayers to Heaven on their behalf. 

Her little old-maidish ways were withal so sym- 
pathetic, stiff as she seemed to outsiders, that now, 
as ever, she found no difficulty in getting from Harry 
the young lady’s own version of the morning’s 
events. 

The girl was down on the floor, at her aunt’s 
knees, pouring out her woes with flushed cheeks and 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


37 


panting breath, when Giles, her eldest brother, burst 
into the room, and, catching some words about 

wretches not fit to live within miles of decent 
people,” he sharply bade her hold her tongue. 

“For my father says the Besils are a ten times 
better family than we are, and that we all deserved 
to have our heads broken for riding through the 
Vicarage grounds, and he says Aunt Maggie is to 
put on her bonnet at once and go over to apologise, 
and — and — now, look out for a shock, Harry! — to 
ask them to dine with us this evening.” 

And he pointed this thrust with a significant nod. 

“ What 1” shrieked Harry, springing up and whirl- 
ing round like a feather in the wind. “ What ! I 
don’t believe it 1” 

“ All right,” said Giles, calmly. “ There’s no need 
for you to believe it. You will see to-night whether 
it’s true or not. And I should hope you will have 
the good sense to behave properly and to make your- 
self agreeable. For if you don’t, I can tell you my 
father will tell you some things about your conduct 
which you won’t care to hear.” 

Harry had snatched up her gloves, caught up her 
riding-habit, and come close to her brother. 

“You’ve been talking to papa! You have some 
reason of your own for making him take this ground. 
I know you have !” cried she, with flashing eyes. 
“ But I won’t knock under like that. Whatever you 
boys may do. I’ll not be civil to the people who have 
insulted us, but I’ll insult them back whenever I get 
a chance. And if they come to dinner to-night I 
won’t meet them. I’ll — I’ll go to bed !” 

4 


38 A SPOILT GIRL. 

I’m sure you’re quite welcome to !” retorted her 
brother, as she flung herself out of the drawing- 
room, slamming the door. 

“ Is it true, Giles, that I’m to go to the Vicarage ?” 
asked Lady Maggie, with resignation. 

She was used to these apologetic errands, but she 
had not learned to like them. 

“ Rather ! Go and ask my father.” 

It was quite true. Lady Maggie hurried into the 
morning-room, where she found old Sir Giles in a 
great rage. Although it was his own fault that his 
children were so ill brought up, and although they 
were only an advance upon the model he had set 
them. Sir Giles was capricious, and easily worked up 
into a fit of disgust with his progeny, as a change 
from his usual approval. His eldest son was well 
aware of this, and, having great influence with his 
father, he had found no difficulty in persuading him 
that Harry had transgressed even those wide limits 
set by the family rule upon their conduct, and that 
an apology and an attempt at amends were impera- 
tively called for. 

Luncheon was scarcely over at the Vicarage, there- 
fore, when Lady Maggie Spene was announced. 

Neither Hubert nor his sister knew who she was 
nor where she came from, but Mrs. Floriston, who 
had no idea of shutting herself up, went into the 
drawing-room to receive the visitor. 

No greater contrast could have been offered than 
by these two ladies. Mrs. Floriston was tall, good- 
looking, with strongly marked features, and per- 
fectly dressed. 


^ SPOILT GIRL. 39 

Lady Maggie was tiny, plain of face, insignificant 
of manner, and “ dowdy.” 

Nevertheless each woman found something to like 
in the other, and Lady Maggie broke the ice with 
ease. 

I have come,” she began, in her little whisper of 
a voice, to apologise for the behaviour of my niece 
and my nephews this morning.” 

At this Mrs. Floriston’s lips pinched a little. But 
Lady Maggie would not let her have time to inter- 
rupt. 

” I spend my life in apologising for them,” she 
went on, plaintively. ” Their conduct is absolutely 
shocking — shocking! No words can describe it, I 
know. But they have been allowed to run wild. 
Their father. Sir Giles, has not been able to walk for 
some years; and they never listen to me. I can 
only say that their hearts are better than their 
manners ” 

** But surely it is no proof of a good heart to cut 
open the face of an unoffending stranger because 
he objects to have his grounds turned into a bear- 
garden !” 

“ Don’t speak of it I” cried Lady Maggie, holding 
up her little hands and turning away her head in 
horror. “ It is most dreadful I — most dreadful ! I 
can only say that they are heartily ashamed of them- 
selves, and that I have come to beg you and Mr. 
Besils, on behalf of Sir Giles as well as of the young 
people, to overlook this — this disgraceful outrage, 
and to show your forgiveness by dining with us to- 
night.” 


40 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Mrs. Floriston was a woman of the world, so she 
expressed no surprise, but only a dignified and for- 
giving satisfaction at this invitation. After some 
little persuasion, she accepted it on her own account, 
but declined it for her brother. 

He is a hermit,” she explained. “He never goes 
out at all. And you know,” she added, confiden- 
tially, with a deprecating little smile, “ that the poor 
fellow is so much disfigured by — well, by the young 
lady’s whip that he will not be presentable for days 
and days.” 

Lady Maggie moaned her distress. But none the 
less was she delighted that Mr. Besils would not 
come. For Harry was still in sullen and rebellious 
mood, and not to be depended upon for anything but 
incivility. 

When her visitor had trotted down the path again 
and disappeared behind the Vicarage shrubs, Mrs. 
Floriston, who was a shrewd, worldly woman, pon- 
dered this matter of the invitation, and decided that 
there might be a wish on the part of the older mem- 
bers of the family to secure her brother as a match 
for the appalling Harry. They had probably found 
out that he was well off, and had been unfeignedly 
grieved at the unhappy opening of the acquaintance. 

Certainly Hubert was sufficiently repelled to begin 
with. But the girl was handsome in her way, and 
handsome young women who are in every way un- 
desirable often exercise a malignant influence over 
bachelors. So reflected Mrs. Floriston, as she went 
back to her brother and announced that she was 
going to dine at Culverley Place that night. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 4 1 

He was indignant, but he let her have her own 
way. 

“ Only if you invite them here in return, especially 
if that nondescript creature who calls herself Harry 
comes too,” he added, emphatically, “ I shall be out, 
mind that !” 

There was quite a flutter of expectancy among the 
people at Culverley Place that evening; and when 
Mrs. Floriston was announced and swept into the 
drawing-room in a light grey brocade gown, with her 
bodice flashing with diamonds, she found the four 
young men huddled in corners or swaggering about 
with ostentatious airs of being at their ease, while 
Harry stood, mute, defiant, and evidently dressed 
with great care, at the extreme end of the drawing- 
room. 

Giles came forward with more apologies, and Mrs. 
Floriston forgave him graciously on her brother’s 
behalf, and shook hands with him and all his three 
brothers. 

I haven’t got to apologise !” cried Quin, the 
youngest, joyfully, when his turn came. 

Everybody laughed, and then the young men 
felt more at their ease; and Quin got pushed for- 
ward, and made a little hero of, just because he had 
been lucky enough not to form one of the attacking 
party of the morning. 

Then there was old Sir Giles, in his corner, to be 
introduced, and Mrs. Floriston sat down by him, 
and listened to his old stories and laughed at them, 
until he was convinced that she was the most charm- 
ing woman he had ever met in his life. 

4 * 


42 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Only Harry stood aloof, having given the visitor 
a cold bow, and effaced herself immediately behind 
her brothers. Lady Maggie breathed a sigh of relief 
that she had not been still more rude. 

When dinner was announced, Sir Giles was wheeled 
in his chair to the dining-room by his second son, 
Athelstan, apologising as he went for the infirmity 
which made it impossible to escort his guest. 

In the dining-room, which was the most strongly 
characteristic apartment in the whole house, Mrs. 
Floriston looked round her with a smile. 

“ Anyone can see in a moment, by this room,” she 
said, archly, “ that the house is full of nothing but — 
bookworms !” 

“Yes, yes, that’s it! We’re nothing better than a 
set of old bookworms !” said the host, laughing at 
the little joke till he was purple in the face, and 
showing by his joy thereat how vastly superior he 
considered himself and his sons to mere students 
and scholars. 

For it was in this room, which was long and much 
too low in the roof for health or comfort, that the 
fox-hunting mania had planted its strongest evi- 
dences. The walls literally bristled with foxes’ pates, 
no less than two hundred and fifty of which hung on 
the walls, looking out grimly and glassily over the 
feasts of their slayers. 

“They look rather ghostly and uncanny,” said 
Mrs. Floriston, with a pretty little feminine mock 
shudder, which drew from Harry an exclamation of 
contempt. 

“ They won’t eat you,” she said, with a sneer. 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


43 


Why, no, I don’t suppose they will,” rejoined 
Mrs. Floriston, suavely. “ But they must be rather 
shocked at seeing such a poor sort of feminine 
creature as I after the gallant amazons they are 
accustomed to !” 

At this wicked little speech, the sting of which lay 
in the glance and manner which accompanied it, the 
disloyal boys all laughed, joining in malicious enjoy- 
ment of their sister’s discomfiture. It was she who 
had been the ring- leader in the trespassing expedi- 
tions ; it was fair that she should take her share of 
the punishment. 

But Harry was furious. Silent and sullen she sat 
through dinner, with a frown on her face which caused 
her brothers to leave her alone, which they did the 
more readily that they were being highly entertained 
by their brilliant guest. 

Mrs. Floriston herself, although this strange, un- 
couth family of handsome lads rather amused her, felt 
very much relieved when Lady Maggie gave her the 
signal for retiring. The boys were all becoming very 
noisy, as they all drank a great deal, and all liked to 
make themselves heard at the same time. While the 
heat of the many candles, the glitter of the mass of 
silver on the table, and the tedious spinning out of 
Sir Giles’ stories, which grew more and more circum- 
stantial as the meal went on, all combined to make 
her welcome her release. 

But there was another trial in store for her — 
Harry. That young lady stalked into the drawing- 
room, wearing the same air of ferocious discontent 
that had disfigured her during dinner, and threw her- 


44 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


self into a corner with a book, without a word or a 
glance for the other two ladies. 

Neither Lady Maggie, who was pleased with her 
new acquaintance, nor the guest herself seemed to 
concern herself v/ith the young girl, who thus felt 
doubly aggrieved. She looked out of her corner 
indignantly at the queenly figure in the low chair by 
the fire, who leaned back and fanned herself with a 
great ostrich-feather fan, surrounded by folds of the 
grey brocade, and sparkling with diamonds in the 
light of the candles in the gilt candelabra on the 
mantelpiece. 

Why Harry should feel so indignant she did not 
herself know. But the truth was that she recog- 
nised her own superior in the well-bred woman 
whom she had insulted, and who had taken by storm 
the gentlemen of the family. 

Lady Maggie folded her tiny hands and looked 
approvingly at her well-dressed guest. 

“You will find us very dull folk here, I’m afraid,” 
she said, doubtfully. 

“ Why ? What makes you think so ?” 

“ Oh, there’s hardly anybody about here that 
dresses well, or talks amusingly, or — or that you 
would find interesting, I think.” 

“ Really ? I have no such fears myself. I’ve found 
some very interesting people already.” 

Harry’s face grew still darker. This interloper 
was going to patronize them ! 

“ I’m afraid your brother doesn’t think so,” said 
Lady Maggie, smiling. 

Hariy threw down her book with a defiant slap. 


A SPOILT GIRL, 45 

Oh, I’ve frightened him away !” she cried, mock- 
ingly. 

Mrs. Floriston scarcely turned her head. 

“ My brother has some old-fashioned tastes,” she 
said, quietly, which I have not yet been able to 
reform. About the manners of ladies he is very 
particular.” 

She had intended to give Harry some rebuke of 
this sort before the evening was over. The girl 
became scarlet, but she laughed as if much amused. 

“ Old bachelors always are,” she said, sneeringly. 

I don’t know what you call an old bachelor,” 
retorted Mrs. Floriston, quietly. My brother is 
twenty-nine.” 

Harry jumped up. 

“ Then his old-fashioned tastes haven’t agreed with 
him very well,” she said, rudely. “ He looks fifty, 
and speaks as if he were a hundred. Good-night !” 

And she dashed out of the drawing-room and 
appeared no more that night. 

While Lady Maggie poured out apologies for her 
niece’s shocking behaviour, Mrs. Floriston fanned 
herself gently, appeared to listen, and reflected : 

I have effectually quenched all possible danger 
to Hubert from that quarter. The wretched creature 
will never come within speaking distance of him 
after that!" 

And Mrs. Floriston, when she went back to the 
Vicarage escorted by a couple of boisterous young 
male Brancepeths, thought she had done a very 
good evening’s work. 


46 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


CHAPTER V. 

Poor Harry’s humiliations were not over when 
she disgraced her unhappy and uncouth self by rush- 
ing out of the drawing-room and leaving her aunt to 
lament over her awkwardness. 

On the following morning, when she came sulkily 
to breakfast, always a late meal at Culverley Place, 
she was greeted by mocking cheers. 

“Who sulked because somebody else had on a 
prettier frock than she had?” sang out one kind 
brother. 

“Who ran away and wasn’t missed?” cried an- 
other. 

“ Who will have to be on her best behaviour to her 
neighbours ?’^ shouted a third. 

“ Best behaviour ! You’ll see that I don’t mean to 
change my behaviour for those cads !” said she, 
fiercely. “You may all go and cringe to them if 
you like, and make eyes at that woman with the long 
nose just because she has some big paste brooches 
on her dress.” 

“ Paste ! My dear, they were diamonds !” hastily 
put in Lady Maggie, in whom her guest’s brilliant 
appearance had roused real respect. 

“ She’s jealous, jealous, jealous !” crooned Radley. 
“ But she will have to put on pretty manners for all 
that, and let Mr. Besils see that she’s not quite the 
clownish dairy-maid he takes her for !” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


47 


“ Pretty manners ! Shall I ?” cried Harry, whose 
cheeks were on fire. I shall not change my man- 
ners for him, unless ” And she made a mo- 

ment’s significant pause to give effect to her con- 
cluding words, “unless I change them for the 
worse !” 

But this awful threat was received with fresh 
shouts. 

“ We’re not afraid ! Because, you know, that’s im- 
possible. If your manners alter at all, it must be for 
the better.” 

Harry, instead of flying out with a fresh retort, 
looked more sullen than ever. 

“ You’ll see,” she said, below her breath. 

And pushing aside her aunt, who put an affec- 
tionate little arm round her, while trying to silence 
the jeering lads, she drew up a chair to the table 
and began her breakfast. 

But she could not eat. And after a valiant attempt 
to make her usual hearty meal, she suddenly pushed 
back her chair, and, without a word in answer to the 
continued taunts and jibes of her brothers, she left 
the room. They glanced at each other in astonish- 
ment. 

“ Well, that’s the first time I’ve seen Harry leave 
her breakfast!” cried Quin. “ You fellows shouldn’t 
have teased her so. It’s a shame I” 

“ Serves her right 1” said Athelstan, surlily. “ She’s 
getting too bad for anything. The way people look 
at her and whisper when we pass is quite scandalous. 
It’s time she learnt how to behave properly.” 

The boys were still all under the influence of the 


48 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


very different type of womanhood they had met the 
night before. Only Giles was silent about his sister, 
not because he was indifferent, but because her atti- 
tude of sullen anger was a new thing and might be 
considered alarming. Giles was just as much of a 
savage as his brothers ; but the helplessness of his 
father had thrust some of the duties of headship 
upon him, so that he had some of the qualities of a 
barbarian chief which the rest had not. He had a 
little more insight, a little more discretion, than they. 
And now he thought proper to interfere. 

You’d better leave her alone,” he said, at last. 
“ There’s no knowing what you might drive her to 
if you worried her too much. You know she’s quite 
bad enough at all times ; but if you dare her to do 
something worse than her usual pranks, why, it’s a 
hundred to one she’ll do it.” 

Giles was quite right. Harry had gone to her 
own room in a mood of sullen recklessness, the 
result of acute misery, which boded ill for some- 
body. Never before had she been so deeply humili- 
ated as she had been by these two strangers. The 
cutting words of the brother, the calm disdain of the 
sister, were equally galling to the spoilt girl. But 
worse than these, the jeers, the jibes of her hitherto 
adoring brothers rang in her ears and incited her to 
mischief. 

Her manners couldn’t be any worse than they 
were, couldn’t they? Well, that was all they knew 
about it ! The girl tore her handkerchief to shreds, 
as she sat devising impossible schemes of revenge, 
which was to be thorough, daring, overwhelming. 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


49 


If she could but find some such vengeance she 
would have her brothers again at her feet, ready to 
follow her, to back her up, as in the old days before 
the appearance of this hateful woman with the dia- 
monds and the contemptuous smile. 

Her anger made her mad. She could not think. 
Her head seemed on fire. She jumped up from the 
low seat in the window corner, which was her favourite 
nook, and snatched up a hat. She disdained gloves, 
and only wore a jacket when her brothers wore their 
overcoats. 

In a few seconds she was outside the house ; a few 
more, and she had slammed the front gate under the 
yew-trees behind her. 

She started with no more definite idea than that 
of getting cooler, so that she might devise mischief 
with spirit. It was not by design, therefore, that she 
presently found herself in sight of the gables of the 
Vicarage. And at the same moment she perceived 
one of her enemies, and the most virulent, come out 
of the gate and turn in the direction of Mr. Griffith’s 
house. 

Harry stopped short, her excitement growing 
stronger as she watched Hubert Besils walking up 
the hill. His back was towards her; he had not 
seen her ; she chose to fancy that there was some- 
thing in his very manner of carrying his head which 
showed that he was conceited on the score of his 
treatment of herself on the previous day. She set 
her teeth hard ; she clenched her fists ; this was the 
man who had sneered at her, who had lowered her 
in the eyes of her brothers. The young savage felt 
c d 5 


50 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


that she hated him with a hatred which could not be 
quenched. 

Instinctively she raised one clenched hand, while 
her cheeks glowed, and her eyes blazed with anger. 

At that most unfortunate moment Mr. Besils turned 
his head and looked behind him. And seeing Miss 
Brancepeth in this threatening attitude, he had the 
audacity to laugh at her ! At least, that was what 
the young lady said to herself, although it was indeed 
but the faintest of smiles which he could not repress 
that flitted across his face. 

But it was quite enough to excite the angry girl 
beyond the bounds of quiet endurance. Casting 
about rapidly in her mind for some way of testifying 
open hostility, she could think of nothing more tell- 
ing, nothing more daring, and at the same time out- 
rageously impertinent and rude, than the act of the 
defiant street Arab. 

She snatched up a stone from the road and threw 
it, aiming at her enemy’s head. It struck the soft felt 
hat Hubert was wearing, and tilted it forward upon 
his nose. 

He turned on the instant, saw who the offender 
was, and, racing back down the hill at lightning 
speed while the girl, uncertain what to expect, stood 
her ground defiantly, he sharply boxed both her ears. 

Harry, was almost stunned, partly with amazement, 
but partly also by the force of his blows. At first she 
could not speak; but she turned very white, and 
stared at him, gasping as if for breath. 

Hubert was rather frightened, rather ashamed of 
himself. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


51 


‘‘ Well,” he said, irritably, “ you shouldn’t behave 
like a street boy if you’re not prepared to be treated 
like one.” 

And then, to his horror, the amazon burst into 
tears, real, most feminine tears. 

The poor man was petrified. For some seconds, 
which seemed to him long hours, he stood with his 
head turned away, hearing her sobs, but altogether 
without ideas as to how they could be stopped. At 
last he said — 

“ Well, well, what’s the use of crying ? It’s done, 

and can’t be undone. I’m sorry ” 

Sorry !” echoed Harry, fiercely, checking a sob 
to utter the word. “ What do I care for your sor- 
row? — your pretended sorrow? You — you — ^you 
hateful, you — ^you ill-bred ruffian ! Oh, to think I 
should be humiliated like this by such a cad ! I am 
so glad” — she was positively grinding her teeth at 
him — “that I scarred your horrible, wicked, ugly 
face !” 

But this speech touched Hubert’s sense of humour, 
and he smiled in spite of himself. 

“ I’m very glad you did, if it’s any satisfaction to 
you,” he said, quite jauntily. “ And, after all, if I’m 
a cad, what are your own brothers? Don’t you 
think we’re all in the same boat, and a ruffianly lot 
together ?” 

“ Well, they do know how to treat ladies. Ask 
your own horrid sister !” 

Hubert, thankful to see that she had dried her tears, 
reflected a moment. He wanted to give the girl a 
lecture, but felt that his own behaviour had lowered 


52 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


his position as a moral teacher. He answered, in a 
very meek and gentle tone — 

“ There are some ladies whose manners are so ex- 
ceedingly — unconventional that, if one were to treat 
them in the conventional way, one would run the risk 
of making a fool of one’s self.” 

“ And so, instead of that, you have made a fool of 
me. Oh, I do hate you for this, and for all you have 
brought upon me! You have made my brothers 
sneer at me already ; and — and when they hear” — 
she threatened to weep again, but gulped the inclina- 
tion down — of this ” 

“ But why should they hear of it?” asked Hubert, 
eagerly. “ Why not keep it to ourselves ? I’m not 
any prouder of the occurrence, I can assure you, 
than you are. Let’s forgive and forget, and make a 
compact never to breathe a word of this to anyone.” 

And, anxious to soothe and satisfy the girl, Hubert 
held out his hand. Harry brushed it rudely away 
from her. 

** I don’t want to make any compact with you,” 
said she, shortly. “To hear you talk, one would 
think I was a child I But I have not forgotten the 
way you insulted me yesterday, and I shall never 
forget it as long as I live.’^ 

“I insulted you? I like that!” said Hubert, in 
astonishment, real or feigned. “ I only told you what 
I, or anybody else, must think of people who took 
such liberties as you did.” 

“ You said we were cowards.” 

“ Well ?” 

“ Well, you know we’re not !’* 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


53 


Do I ?” 

“ Why, yes. We do things that nobody else in the 
whole county dares to do.” 

“ Oh, I know that. But the restraints which other 
people put upon themselves are not the result of 
cowardice, but of decency.” 

Do you mean that our conduct isn’t decent ?” 

“ I do mean that, emphatically.” 

As he said this Hubert moved sharply to one side, 
as if to avoid a blow. 

‘‘You needn’t be afraid. I am not going to hit 
you,” said Harry, superbly. 

“ I’m glad to have your assurance to that effect,” 
responded he, gravely. “ For really you’ve made so 
much havoc in my personal charms already that I 
hardly dare to show myself at Mr. Griffith’s, where 
I’m going now. I am wondering what they will say 
when I tell them that it’s the result of an interview 
with a lady belonging to one of the oldest families in 
Kent.” 

Harry did not like this tone, but she tried to look 
as if she was indifferent. 

“ Oh, they’ll know who it is I” said she, with a 
movement of the head almost pronounced enough 
to be a toss. “ Everybody knows that I can take my 
own part.” 

“ And throw your own stones,” suggested Hubert. 

“ Well, if you’re going to the Vicar’s I won’t de- 
tain you,” said Harry, “ But what can you find to 
interest you there ?” 

“ Women, real women,” replied Hubert, promptly. 

Harry shrugged her shoulders. 

5 * 


54 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


** Do you think I mind being told that I’m not a 
real woman ?” she asked, scornfully. “ On the con- 
trary, I take it as a great compliment. I hate women. 
They are mean, spiteful, small-minded creatures, and 
I am heartily ashamed of belonging to them at all. 
What made me angry was to be called a coward. 
And I intend,” she went on, with great spirit, “ to 
prove to you that you were wrong. What would 
you say if I were to face a gang of poachers all by 
myself?” 

Why, I should say,” answered Hubert, unable to 
disguise the fact that he thought this proposal a huge 
joke, “ that you had gone quite mad, and that it would 
be necessary for your friends to put you in a lunatic 
asylum.” 

Harry’s cheeks, which had been flushed with excite- 
ment throughout the whole of this interview, became 
suffused with a still deeper tint. She lowered her 
eyes and bit her lips, and Hubert saw her long, 
shapely hands twitch. Then she looked up sud- 
denly, and flashed a glance of superb scorn at him 
out of her grey eyes. 

** You don’t yet know the Brancepeths !” she said, 
proudly, as, with a haughty bend of the head, like 
the gesture of an offended empress, she turned her 
back upon him and went down the hill again. 

Now this was quite delightful. For Hubert could 
not but be certain that she would not be allowed to 
carry out her mad project, even if she did for a mo- 
ment entertain it seriously. He stood looking at her 
erect and striking figure, which had more of the grace 
of a stalwart and active young man than of a member 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


55 


of the gentler sex, and he thought what a pity it was 
that she had not been allowed by nature to have the 
body, as she certainly had the spirit, of a boy. 

And as he thought this, she suddenly turned once 
more, and invited him with an imperious gesture to 
approach her. 

He obeyed, feeling guiltily that she must have 
seen the smile on his face, and that it would be 
considered a fresh grievance against him. 

“ I think I had better warn you, since you are 
going to the Griffiths’ house, that it must be * hands 
off!’ as far as Kathleen is concerned, if she should 
be the attraction,” she said, in a cold tone. ** My 
brother Athelstan has taken a fancy to her.” 

The conclusive manner in which she uttered this 
announcement amused Hubert still more. But he 
answered, quite gravely — 

I’m sure it is very kind of you to give me the 
* tip.’ But are you sure Miss Kathleen has taken a 
fancy to him ?” 

Harry stared at him in ingenuous amazement. 

“To my brother T' she stammered out. 

“Yes,” croaked out Hubert, in the harsh voice 
which so effectually prevented her guessing the in- 
tensity of his enjoyment. “ Because, if you think 
she does like him, there would be some fun in my 
entering the lists and trying to cut him out, wouldn’t 
there ?” 

Athelstan’s sister was aghast at this irreverence. 
She was for a moment struck dumb. Then it 
flashed into her mind that it was of no use to argue 
with such an obtuse creature as this. She had 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


56 

warned him ; she would now leave him to his fate. 
So she only shrugged her shoulders and smiled. 
Hubert thought he would have a little more fun with 
her ^before he let her go. So he said, very gravely — 

‘^But I am not altogether sure that I like Miss 
Kathleen best. The others, the ladies with the 
glasses, look very intelligent, and are all apparently 
very amiable.” 

“Ah, I thought one of them would suit you 
better,” rejoined Harry, quite seriously. 

She was again on the point of turning, when 
Hubert, anxious that she should not spread un- 
founded reports as to his visits to the Vicar’s, de- 
tained her by saying — 

“ My admiration is for the family collectively, not 
individually. I am not all what is called a ladies* 
man.” 

Miss Brancepeth took no apparent interest in this 
statement ; she left him without further comment. 


CHAPTER VI. 

Hubert Besils was laughing to himself for the 
rest of the way up to the Vicar’s house. 

This impossible creature with the mediaeval man- 
ners was intensely amusing, certainly. Her sublime, 
untroubled faith that she and her brothers were the 
salt of the earth was too curious and interesting, as 
an undoubted remnant of Dark Ages, to be lightly 
tampered with. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


57 


He was in high good humour when he was shown, 
by a small servant with a worried expression and a 
red face, into the small drawing-room. 

This apartment he had not seen before, and his 
first sensation on entering was one of wonder 
whether the two parents and the seven daughters 
and the two sons could ever get into it at the same 
time. It faced the south, otherwise the one small 
square window would hardly have lighted it suffi- 
ciently, even at mid-day. It was not well furnished ; 
it was shabby as to curtains and carpet, and against 
one wall stood a harmonium, an instrument the sight 
of which always set Hubert’s teeth on edge. Yet 
the poor little reception-room had an atmosphere of 
refinement and of human kindliness, such as every 
room of a house long inhabited by refined, kindly 
people must always acquire. 

It was Jessica, one of the girls with glasses, who 
presently came in. 

“ You want to see papa, of course, about those 
Brancepeths,” she said, in a tone of gentle resigna- 
tion. “ He is out at present, but ” 

“ I need not trouble him at all,” replied Hubert, 
quickly. “ I only called to relieve his mind by tell- 
ing him that we have made it up. My sister, Mrs. 
Floriston, dined at Culverley Place last evening.” 

“I am very glad to hear that,” said the young 
lady, in a tone which had little of congratulation in 
it. Then she hesitated a moment, and finally made 
up her mind to be frank and disagreeable. “ I hope 
you will not think me ill-natured if I suggest that 
you had better not make up your mind too soon that 


58 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


you will have no more unpleasantness with them. 
They are really a most difficult family to get on with. 
It’s impossible to deny that.” 

Hubert thanked her for the warning, which he took 
lightly enough; and after a few more remarks, he 
took his leave. 

But when he got to the end of the stone pathway 
which ran along in front of the house, and had his 
hand on the gate to let himself out, a voice from the 
raspberry-bushes on the right detained him by an 
excited whisper. 

“ Oh, Mr. Besils, one moment. I must speak to 
you !” 

And he saw the bright-faced Kathleen, in a large 
hat, with an old knife in one hand and two huge 
freshly-cut cabbages in the other. Over these 
gigantic vegetables her brown face peered, wreathed 
in mischievous smiles. 

‘‘Oh, oh, oh!” she broke off again, in a fit of 
laughter which seemed impossible to subdue. 
“ Please forgive me, but — I saw you just now — I saw 
you from one of the up-stairs windows — box Har- 
rington Brancepeth’s ears ! Oh, oh, oh !” 

She was laughing again. Poor Hubert’s face grew 
crimson. 

“ I do beg you to forget it, to forget all about it, 
and above all not to mention it to anyone else,” said 
he, in an emphatic whisper, leaning as far across the 
wooden paling which shut in the kitchen garden as 
he possibly could. “ It was quite inexcusable of me 
to do it ; and I do beg, for the sake of the young 
lady herself, who has been good enough to forgive 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


59 


me, as well as for me, that you will keep it a secret. 
I assure you it is not my habit to go about doing 
such things.” 

Now this sounded rather a comical speech to the 
merry Kathleen, who had to exercise strong con- 
straint upon herself to prevent her laughing again. 

“ Oh, don’t be afraid. Fll keep your secret,” she 
said. *‘And I assure you I think you’re the first 
person to find the proper way to treat her.” 

** You’re quite sure you haven’t mentioned it to 
anyone already?” whispered Hubert, persistently. 

A footstep in the road outside made him look 
round apprehensively as he spoke. Athelstan Brance- 
peth, who had lately developed a tendency to ram- 
bling in this particular part of the road at those 
hours when Kathleen was most likely to be seen in 
the garden, was frowning from the roadway. Kath- 
leen saw him, but affected not to do so. Hubert was 
rather amused by the occurrence. 

“ That young man is looking daggers at me,” he 
said, in the same low voice as before. 

I don’t care how he looks,” replied the young 
lady in the same low voice. I don’t wish to have 
anything to do with him.” 

“Oh, well,” replied Hubert, whispering still, “if I 
can reform the lady members of the family you 
might try your hand with the gentlemen.” 

The merry Kathleen laughed so much at this that 
Hubert began to laugh too; and Athelstsn, who had 
no legitimate excuse for interfering, but who was in a 
tumult of rage, walked up the hill at rapid pace, and 
then, suddenly veering round, unable to keep away 


6o 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


from the fateful spot, as rapidly walked down again. 
Hubert was raising his hat as he went through the 
gate. And Kathleen was saying, in a tone just loud 
enough to be heard by Athelstan, “ I’ll keep your 
secret, never fear !” 

So that Hubert, when he passed the frowning 
young Brancepeth and entered the Vicarage garden, 
found himself in a curious position for a confirmed 
bachelor and woman-hater, of being in league with 
two ladies at once for the guarding of a solemn 
secret. 

Unluckily, however, Hubert had in all innocence 
brought down upon poor Kathleen the wrath of 
Athelstan Brancepeth, who presented himself in his 
turn at the gate of Mr. Griffith’s garden, as soon as 
Mr. Besils had disappeared. 

Kathleen was cutting another cabbage, and affected 
not to see him. 

He began to open and shut the gate, and to swing 
it backwards and forwards on its hinges, making a 
most horrible squeaking noise. Still she took no 
notice, so he was forced to address her. 

“ Don’t you see there’s someone here ?” he asked, 
in a surly tone. 

She just turned her head. 

“ I thought it was one of the village boys,” said 
she. ‘‘ They always swing the gate like that, as if 
they were afraid to come in.” 

Athelstan grew scarlet, and stalked in, slamming 
the gate behind him. Then he leaned over the 
palings of the kitchen garden, and watched her as 
she shifted her knife to the hand which supported 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


6l 


the cabbages, and drew the netting tenderly over an 
exposed corner of a pear-tree which was laden with 
fruit. 

“ You seem to take as much care of that tree as 
if it were a human being !” said he, in a scoffing 
tone. 

He was so angry with her that he must find fault 
with something. 

'' That tree is going to do more for me than any 
human being,” answered she. And a smile of 
pride and pleasure came into her bright face as she 
gently lifted one of the boughs, to show the rich 
fringe of pears it bore. These are Marie Louises, 
and they are going to bring me my winter pocket- 
money. Enough muslin to make me a frock to 
wear at the Infirmary Ball, for one thing!” cried 
she. 

And her brown eyes sparkled at the prospect of 
the dance. 

Ball ! The Infirmary Ball ! The idea of caring 
for such things 1” said Athelstan, more scornfully 
than ever. “ I didn’t think the Vicar approved of 
dancing !” he added, viciously. 

Kathleen’s face clouded a little. 

“ He doesn’t — much,” she admitted in a more sub- 
dued tone. ‘‘ He had to be coaxed. But when Mrs. 
Floriston offered to take me ” 

“ Mrs. Floriston !” interrupted Athelstan, in a loud 
voice. *‘Oh, then I suppose you mean to dance 
with that beastly brother of hers.” 

Kathleen set her lips firmly, and turned to go on 
with her cabbage-cutting. But her interlocutor’s 
6 


62 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


ire was excited by her silence, and a crash among 
the gooseberry-bushes behind her told that he had 
leaped the barrier which stood between himself and 
her. She was rather frightened, although she gave 
no sign. Athelstan was the handsomest of all the 
brothers ; and the Vicar’s pretty daughter liked to 
fancy that there were more signs of grace about him 
than could be seen by the general eye. She was dis- 
creet, however, and he could not certainly boast of 
having received from her any encouragement in the 
attentions which he would fain have paid her. 

She was startled when a loud and gruff voice 
close to her ear said — 

“Have you promised to dance with that man 
Besils or have you not ?” 

“ Please get out of the raspberry-bushes. You 
are treading them all down,” said Kathleen. 

“ Confound the raspberry-bushes ! Are you going 
to dance with him ?” roared Athelstan. 

The girl was frightened, and she sprang away to 
the fence, under the pretext of taking her cabbages 
indoors. But she was a girl of spirit, and she was in- 
dignant with the intruder for his attempt to bully her. 

“ I am going to dance with whom I please, of 
course, Mr. Brancepeth,” said she, bending her 
head, so that her shady straw hat hid her face with 
its heightened colour and sparkling eyes. 

“ Oh, you are, are you ? Very well, then. Here 
goes for your pear-tree ! There ! And there ! And 
there ! And there 

At each repetition of the words the young savage 
dealt at the poor pear-tree a furious blow with the 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


^3 

hunting-stock he carried; and when at last too 
angry, and too much out of breath to utter any 
more words, he still went on dealing at the tree a 
series of vigorous blows, until the whole of the 
splendid crop of fruit, torn and shaken so roughly 
down, lay, with the fragments of the now torn and 
ragged net, in a bruised and broken and quite value- 
less pulp upon the ground. 

When this was accomplished, he stood back, pant- 
ing and red in the face with his exertions, and looked 
defiantly at the girl. 

But the moment he caught sight of her he expe- 
rienced such a revulsion of feeling, such an over- 
whelming sense of shame and contrition, as he had 
never in his life known before. 

Kathleen had lost her brilliant colour, and was 
quite white. Even her lips, instead of being car- 
mine, were grey. In the few seconds during which 
the affair had lasted her eyes had lost their sparkle, 
her manner its vivacity. She still instinctively 
clutched her cabbages, but she was holding them so 
tightly that they were being crushed against her 
cotton frock by hands the convulsive movements of 
which betrayed the intensity of her despair. 

Athelstan was cut to the quick. He would have 
given the world to undo what he had just done. He 
wanted to comfort her, to compensate her, to tell her 
that he was sorry and ashamed. 

‘‘I — I wish — I — hadn’t done it!” he blurted out, 

hoarsely. “ I — I did it without thinking, without 

But you needn’t look like that about it. After all, 
it’s only a few pears. I’ll get you some more 1” 


64 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Then she looked up, no longer pale, no longer 
dull of eyes, but shaking, trembling with anger like 
an outraged princess. 

“Only a few pears! You will get me some 
more,” she cried, not loudly, but in a low, ringing 
voice that seemed to vibrate in the young man’s 
heart, and thrill him through and through with 
shame, remorse, and dismay. “ They represented to 
me all the pleasure, all the little presents, all the en- 
joyment of the winter. You have left me just noth- 
ing !” 

And, breaking down at last utterly, the girl 
sobbed. 

“ I’ll get you some more. I’ll buy you some 
more,” stammered Athelstan, ready to cry him- 
self. 

But it was her turn to be scornful now. 

“You!” cried she in the same low, penetrating 
voice. “ You! Why, you Brancepeths never give 
pleasure, or make amends for any of the infamous 
things you do ! You do nothing but bring disgrace 
upon yourselves and injury upon other people, what- 
ever you do and wherever you go. I would not 
accept compensation from you, even if you could 
give it me !” 

And she fled like a hare into the house, leaving 
the half-indignant but wholly remorseful Athelstan 
to beat a retreat as quickly as he could. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


65 


CHAPTER VII. 

It was about nine o’clock that evening when 
Hubert, whose favourite mare had arrived that day 
at Culverley, took it into his head to go for a ride. 

The night was rather cloudy, but it was light 
enough for him, as he intended to keep to the high- 
road, and to put off the thorough exploration of the 
country for the broad daylight. He did not him- 
self quite understand what the feeling was which 
prompted this freak of a night ride. It must be the 
change of climate, he supposed, which had aroused 
in him a new sense of restlessness, and made him 
prefer the gentle exercise and the silent companion- 
ship of the brown mare to the cosy fireside and his 
sister’s bright talk. 

He somehow wished, although he had not ven- 
tured to make the suggestion, that she would choose 
some other subject for her severe and caustic remarks 
than the vagaries of the Brancepeth family. He 
was tired of their very name he said to himself, im- 
patiently ; the neighbourhood seemed to be pervaded 
by them. Go where you would, they were the all- 
absorbing topic of conversation. Even he, oddly 
enough, could not get that remarkable specimen of 
humanity, the female Brancepeth, out of his head. 
She was so far outside the realms of the possible 
that her image became positively haunting. 

He went in his mind again and again through their 


66 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


interview of the morning, alternately reproaching 
himself for his unconventional treatment of her, and 
priding himself upon having had the courage to 
show her what she deserved. After all, he con- 
cluded, since she could hardly be called a woman, 
he could not well be blamed for not treating her as 
one. 

Confound the Brancepeths ! 

He had got as far as this in his vague reflections, 
when the noise of hoofs and shouts behind him an- 
nounced that the inevitable ones were still on his 
heels. In another minute Athelstan overtook him, 
and drawing rein so sharply that he almost had his 
horse upon his haunches, he asked, abruptly — 

“ My sister ! Have you seen anything of her ?’* 

Hubert, much annoyed by his tone, did not stop. 

“Your sister! What on earth should I know of 
her ?” 

“ That won’t do. You were with her this morning. 
I must have some other answer than that, or by ” 

He had his hand on the rein of the brown mare ; 
and she, unaccustomed to the touch of so rough a 
hand, began to rear and plunge. 

Hubert, furious, had raised his whip, when a medi- 
ator appeared in the person of Giles, who shouted to 
his brother to take his hands off and to ride on. 

Athelstan obeyed, grumbling. The more pacific 
Giles then addressed Hubert, apologetically — 

“Awfully sorry, Mr. Besils, to have to trouble 
you at all. But my sister Harry has disappeared, 
and ” 

“ But, my good fellow, what on earth can the dis- 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


67 


appearance of Miss Brancepeth have to do with me ? 
Has she shown such a passionate attachment to me 
that where the one of us is the other must be ? Or 
do you suppose that I’ve put her under lock and 
key ?” 

“ No, Mr. Besils. That isn’t it. The fact is that 
we know you’ve had some sort of quarrel with her 
this morning, for she’s been talking about you and 
grumbling and swearing to her aunt all day, ever 
since she met you out this morning. And so, when 
she didn’t turn up at dinner to-night, and when we 
found afterwards that she’d gone out riding, and that 
she’d taken her revolver^ why, of course, we thought 
we’d better find out if she’d met you.” 

“Met me with a revolver!” said Hubert, lugu- 
briously. “ I suppose you think it’s lucky for me 
she didn’t?” 

“ Oh, I don’t say that,” rejoined Harry’s brother, 
hastily. I don’t suppose she’d do you any harm. 
But she’s hasty, and so I thought I’d better see you 
if I could. So we called at your place, and when 
they said you’d gone out riding in the very direction 
she took, why ” 

He paused and hesitated. 

“ It’s quite by chance that I’ve come this way,” 
said Hubert. “ It’s the only road I know yet, that’s 
why I took it. But it seems you know where she’s 
gone, then ?” 

“ We made inquiries in the village, and a carter 
met her on the Bredding Road.” 

“ And you have no idea why she’s gone that way ?” 
said Hubert, who was not greatly interested in the 


68 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


matter, thinking that the whims of this strange family 
were as unimportant as they were unaccountable. 

‘'No. But the Bredding Woods are infested 
with bad characters, the most dangerous sort of 
poachers ” 

To Giles’ amazement, at these words his com- 
panion started violently and uttered an exclamation 
of horror. 

“ Poachers !” echoed he. “ Poachers ! Good 
heavens !” 

Giles peered into the other man’s face in the dark- 
ness. 

“ Well ?” said he, hoarsely. 

Hubert had grown cold with alarm. 

“She — she — she said,” he began, stammering in 
his anxiety, “ that — that — something about meeting 
poachers by herself this morning. But I never gave 
her words a second thought.” 

“Ah!” exclaimed Giles. “You should always 
give a second thought to the threats of a Brance- 
peth.” And he whistled to his brothers, Radley and 
Athelstan, who were on the road in front of them. 

“ To Bredding. She’s gone to Bredding Woods,” 
he said, briefly. “ Ride like ” 

They did not wait for another word, but spurred 
on their horses. 

“ I must wish you good-night,” said Giles, curtly, 
to Hubert. 

“ No, no,” answered Besils, as he gave the brown 
mare the spur also, and galloped on by the side of 
the eldest of the Brancepeths. “ I feel that I am 
partly in fault for this, and I can’t rest until I know 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


69 

the girl’s all right. But — great Heaven ! — who 
would have thought she was serious ? She said I 
shouldn’t think her a coward if she were to face a 
party of poachers by herself. And even now I can’t 
help thinking she has only gone off to frighten us 
all. Surely she would never dare — she would never 
be so mad ” 

“ She’ll dare anything ; and she’s mad enough for 
anything,” interrupted the young lady’s brother. 
“ Let’s only hope,” he went on, as he whipped up 
his horse, ‘‘ that she hasn’t either been murdered or 
committed murder by this time !” 

Then they rode on in silence, a little behind the 
other two, straight along the old Roman road; 
passing wide sloping fields and bare spaces where 
the nops had been cleared, with here and there a 
little patch left, a forest of hop-poles with a ragged 
fringe hanging from them, last vestige of a crop 
which had been a failure, and where the hops had 
been left on their poles as not worth gathering. 

“ They’ll be out a night like this,” said Giles, in 
a low voice. 

For the sky was clouded, and it was only now and 
then that the moon appeared at all, shrouded as she 
was in veils of mist. 

To Hubert there was a sense of whimsicality, of 
unreality, about the whole affair. He believed that 
they would come upon Harry safe and mocking, 
delighted to have thus been the means of keeping, 
not only three of her brothers, but the taunting 
stranger, in a quite unnecessary state of alarm about 
her. He sincerely hoped that he should be the first 


70 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


to meet her, being resolved that he would mock in 
his turn, and shame the silly girl, if possible, into 
repentance for this freak. Although, therefore, he 
took care not to confide his reflections to her brothers, 
who were genuinely alarmed, he soon lost his own 
fears, and enjoyed the night ride. 

Bredding Woods were about fifteen miles from 
Culverley, and the party reached the outskirts of 
them in a little over an hour. Then they divided, 
and rode, each by himself, but within call of another 
of the party, into the wood. Hubert, who was en- 
tirely ignorant of the locality, soon got astray, and 
finding himself off the path he had been directed to 
follow, forgot the object of his quest in his anxiety 
on his own account. 

He shouted, but got no reply whatever. He had 
not only lost his way, but had got beyond hail of the 
rest of the party. Suddenly it struck him that this 
result had perhaps been foreseen and intended by the 
brothers, in revenge for his share in getting their 
sister into this scrape. 

The idea seemed a sufficiently probable one, and 
was alarming in the extreme. How on earth was 
he to get out ? He was in a part of the wood where 
the trees were tall as well as close together ; so that, 
although the leaves had for the most part fallen from 
them, what little light the moon occasionally gave 
was shut out by the net-work of branches and boughs 
overhead. The brown mare stumbled, having trodden 
in a hole, which the heaps of decaying leaves had 
hidden. Hubert dismounted, and was going to shout 
once more, when a cry, followed immediately by the 


A SPOILT GIRL. 7 1 

sound of two shots, reached his ears. He started, 
the sounds came from no great distance. 

There was another cry, a woman’s. Then one 
more shot, followed by the noise of a scuffle, with 
shouts and threats, and finally a cry which he under- 
stood : 

“ Serves her right ! Curse her I” 

By this time Hubert had judged from which direc- 
tion the sounds came ; and, leading the mare by the 
bridle, he forced his way as quickly as he could 
through the undergrowth, until he found himself in 
a small glade or opening where, although the under- 
growth was as thick as ever, there were no trees. It 
was from the end of this glade, on Hubert’s right 
hand, that the sounds came which had attracted his 
attention. He could just distinguish moving figures 
in the obscurity, for they were at the very edge of 
the wood, and behind them was the open country, 
forming a grey background against which they looked 
black. 

A struggle was going on. Hubert shouted, and 
he was answered at once by a cry which sent a thrill 
through him. It was the cry of a woman, and of a 
woman in desperate need. 

“ Hold on ! I’m coming !” he shouted, as he put 
his arm through the reins of the brown mare, and 
ran by her side as fast as the nature of the ground 
would allow. 

But it was fast enough. As soon as his voice 
rang out he saw, by a rapid change of position on 
the part of the struggling figures, that his approach 
had caused as much consternation among the party 


72 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


as relief to one member of it. Another moment, 
and he saw a creature flying towards him, and three 
men making rapidly for the cover of the trees. 

‘‘ Oh, thank God ! I— I ” 

It was poor Harry, no longer the defiant amazon, 
but a panting girl in tattered garments, with only a 
rag left trailing behind her in place of her riding- 
habit, no hat on her head, and one of her sleeves 
half torn out, a pitiable sight. One of her arms she 
held out towards Hubert, the other hung down at 
her side. Just as she reached him she stumbled, and 
as she tried to speak, she suddenly stopped, swayed 
for a moment, and fell a dead weight in his out- 
stretched arms. 

Hubert uttered a low cry of horror. She was 
covered with blood. 

As he laid her gently on the ground and knelt 
beside her, he heard a shot fired in his immediate 
neighbourhood, and at the same instant a bullet 
whistled past his ears. 


CHAPTER VI 11. 

Hubert whistled softly to himself. 

This was a pleasant situation, certainly. To be 
alone in a wood, on a dark night, with a wounded 
and insensible girl on his hands, and with an invisible 
enemy taking pot-shots at him from the shelter of 
an adjacent tree, was decidedly the most terrible pre- 
dicament he had ever been in. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


73 


His best chance was in trying to make himself 
heard by one of the Brancepeths, who could not be 
very far off, although he had somehow lost them for 
a time so entirely. So he made the glade ring with 
his voice; and this movement on his part at least 
had the one desirable result of dispersing the gang 
of poachers. For Hubert heard a scuffling and 
rustling among the brushwood, getting gradually 
further and further off, until at last there was silence. 

He had at first entertained the idea of calling to 
the poachers themselves, appealing to their humanity, 
and trying to prevail upon one of them to go for 
help to the nearest dwelling. But then he reflected 
that, even if he were successful in inducing one of 
the vagabonds to start on such an errand, it was 
more than likely that the man would change his 
mind and sneak off by the way ; while if he were to 
fall in with one of the young lady’s brothers, com- 
plications would ensue which it were best to avoid. 

Then the shot fired at himself decided him : there 
was no alliance to be made with gentry of this sort. 

Now through the lucky chance that Hubert was 
considered by his sister as an invalid, he was pro- 
vided, by her care, with two or three things for which 
he now blessed her. In the first place, he had a flask 
of brandy in his pocket, at which, on his making the 
discovery that it was there, he had jeered and jibed. 
In the second place, he was obliged to carry on his 
saddle a neatly rolled up cloak, and in one of his 
pockets a silk muffler. 

This last he now felt for, and used to wipe away 
the blood from the young lady’s face, so that he 

D 


74 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


might ascertain the extent of her injuries. He found 
a cut near the right temple, under her fair hair : it 
bled a good deal, so he tore off a strip of her own 
handkerchief and bound it round her head. Then 
he discovered a more serious injury, which he had 
suspected as she ran towards him. Her left arm was 
broken. This was the most serious part of the 
damage; but there were cuts on her hands and 
wrists as well. 

Poor little girl ! Poor little goose !” he was 
muttering to himself as, having laid her gently down 
with a heap of leaves for a pillow, he stood up to 
feel for his flask. By the time he had found it Harry 
had recovered consciousness, had tried to move, and 
had uttered a low cry of pain. 

“ Keep still. You had better keep still,” said he, as 
he dropped down beside her again. “ Don’t move 
yourself ; but let me put my arm under your head ; 
I have something here that will do you good.” 

What is it ?” she asked, in much the same voice 
as usual. Brandy? Ugh! I don’t like it!” 

And she turned her head away without tasting it. 

” Rubbish !” said Hubert, crossly. “ What does it 
matter whether you like it or not? You’ve got to 
take it, so open your mouth.” 

In the obscurity, he could see that she looked at 
him with an ingenuous expression of mingled doubt, 
surprise, and a sort of pallid and washed-out defiance. 
Nevertheless, after a few seconds of absolute inaction 
on either side, he holding the silver cup to her lips 
and she keeping her lips tightly closed, she gave 
way, and swallowed the brandy. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 75 

I don’t quite know what Fm to do with you,” 
then said Hubert, doubtfully. 

** You can leave me here, if you like,” she said 
shortly. 

“Yes, that’s very likely, isn’t it?” 

“ I daresay you think it’s what I deserve.” 

“ Perhaps I do. However, it’s not practicable, you 
see. We’re in a civilized country (though really Fve 
begun to doubt that myself the last few days), and if 
I were to leave you here, as you propose, my con- 
duct might excite unkind remark.” 

Miss Brancepeth suddenly took it into her head to 
try to rise ; and she managed to do so, staggering a 
little, however, when she got upon her feet. At the 
same moment, and just as Hubert put his arm round 
her for her support, she cried out, and shivered with 
pain. 

“ My arm — I can’t lift it. What have I done ? 
Is it broken ?” 

“ Fm afraid so. If you move about in that violent 
way there’s no telling how much pain you will give 
yourself.” 

“ Well, well, what am I to do ? What am I to 
do ?” cried the girl, impatiently. “ I want to get out 
of this place, and you want to get rid of me. You 
know you do : you’ve said so !” she cried, fiercely. 

“ I hope I haven’t said anything, or done anything, 
to make you think me inhuman,” said Hubert, very 
gently. “ Do try and be quiet and reasonable for a 
little while, for your own sake ; and let us think what 
is best to be done. You know this place better than I. 
Is there a house, an inn, a cottage, anything near ?” 


76 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


** Not — very — near/' said Harry, who was drooping 
a little. “ About a mile off there is a little inn. I 
don’t know of anything nearer, unless there may be 
a cottage at the other side of the wood. But that's 
some distance off." 

Hubert reflected. 

“If you would let me, if you would trust me, I 
could set your arm myself," said he. “ I’ve had some 
practice in surgery out in Australia." 

Miss Brancepeth hesitated a moment. Then she 
said, shortly — 

“All right. Tell me what to do." 

“ Lie down as you did before, and keep quite still. 
I won’t hurt you more than I can help, but you must 
be brave. You wanted to show me that you were 
brave, didn’t you ?" 

This was rather an unfortunate question, con- 
sidering the dire misfortunes into which that wish 
had led her. Harry was quite meek now, however, 
and she placed herself for the operation without a 
word. 

“ You will have to wait a few minutes, while I pre- 
pare some splints," said he, as he took out a big 
clasp-knife and looked for a suitable tree. 

While he was doing so, she called out suddenly — 

“You won’t think me a coward if I keep all the 
time without crying out, will you ?" 

“ No, indeed, I shan’t." 

Then there was silence for a few minutes, while he 
got ready. Hubert was too anxious about the oper- 
ation he had to perform to give much thought to the 
subject of it. He worked as rapidly as he could, for 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


77 


the night had cleared, and he had to take advantage 
of the moonlight while it lasted. Harry was as 
docile a patient as he could have wished, and bore 
the operation bravely. When he had finished he 
looked in her face for the first time. 

I had no idea a girl could bear pain so well,” said 
he, appreciatively. 

The poor amazon smiled, and then her head 
dropped. She had fainted again. 

Fortunately, she soon came back to consciousness. 
She started slightly when she saw Hubert’s face near 
hers. 

** Oh !” she said, evidently aware of what had hap- 
pened, but unwilling to own her weakness, ” I must 
have dropped off to sleep, I think. It was that 
brandy.” 

“Yes,” said Hubert. “It was the brandy, no 
doubt. And now you must have a little more, for I 
want to get you out of this place.” 

She looked at him doubtfully, rather resenting the 
patent fact that he was humouring her. But she 
made no open resistance to anything, even submit- 
ting to be helped to her feet and to being wrapped 
in Hubert’s cloak. When he, with many apologies, 
offered her his own hat, however, she protested. He 
succeeded in overruling her objections, assuring her 
that people who put themselves on the sick-list 
through their own folly have no voice in their own 
treatment. 

And then, making her take his arm, while he again 
took the brown mare by the bridle on the other side, 
he led her by slow steps, watching the ground so that 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


78 

she should not put her feet into any holes, out to the 
road. 

What about your horse he then asked. 
“ What’s become of him ?” 

Harry put her hand to her head. 

I — I — I don’t know ; I don’t seem to remember,” 
she said, in a dazed manner. “ I — I don’t remember 
anything after I had got to the place where I found 
the poachers. I got down, and left him standing 
while I fired a shot from my revolver right over 
their heads. I thought it would startle them and 
frighten them away, or that the noise would bring 
up some of the keepers in time to help me.” 

Hubert looked at her in stupefaction. 

“ Come,” said he, at last, “ you must get on * Black- 
berry.* Your brothers are about, and they’ll come 
across your horse, I dare say.” 

He helped her to mount the brown mare, and as 
he walked beside her, leading the animal himself, 
and remaining close enough to help her if she should 
again feel faint, they proceeded in the direction of the 
form she had spoken of. 

‘‘ I suppose you think me very foolish ?” she said, 
at last, after having watched his face in silence for a 
little while. 

Hubert looked up into her face. 

“ Well, to be frank,” he answered, promptly, your 
foolishness seems to me to be almost beyond belief.” 

‘‘ Well,” she rejoined, petulantly, “ you said I was 
a coward. I meant to show you that I was not.” 

‘‘You have shown me that now, by the way you 
bore the pain of having your arm set,’* admitted he. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


79 


m a tone of what seemed to the girl rather grudg- 
ing appreciation. ** As for the freak of your expos- 
ing yourself to the dangers of meeting with a gang 
of poachers, it was insanity, not bravery, and we will 
say no more about it.” 

“ It was your fault,” retorted Harry. “You dared 
me to it. You shouldn’t call me a coward.” 

“ But what did it matter to you what I thought ?” 
said Hubert, in a dogged tone of argument. “ Surely 
you could afford to snap your fingers at the opinion 
of a person you despise !” 

Harry said nothing to this. But she stared at him 
as if rather puzzled herself. Then her thoughts ap- 
parently wandered away a little, for she put up her 
hand to feel the bandage round her forehead, and 
presently asked — 

“ Shall I be disfigured ?” 

“ I hope not. I’m sure. There will perhaps be a 
little mark on your forehead, under your hair. I 
don’t think there will be more. You got off very 
lightly, considering the danger you ran.” 

His tone became grave again. Harry shuddered. 

“ The men — two of them — attacked me. They 
were going to run away at first, when I fired ; but 
then they saw I was only a woman,” and her tone 
became exceedingly bitter, “so they shouted and 
made for me.” 

“ Well, what could you expect ?” 

“I did make a good fight for it,” said Harry, 
plaintively. “ I got my back against a tree, and I 
could have tackled one by himself, I know. But the 
odds were too much for me. They got me out, the 


8o 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


two of them ; the other was on the watch, thinking 
there were others near to back me up. I think it 
was the butt-end of a gun that broke my arm. I felt 
something like a house falling on my arm, and then 
I couldn’t lift it up again.” 

“ And the brutes went on after that !” said Hubert, 
in a low voice. 

One did. He was trying to hit me again when I 
heard your voice. Oh, wasn’t I glad I But how did 
you get here ?” 

And her tone suddenly changed to dawning per- 
plexity. 

“ I was out riding, and your brothers overtook me, 
and they said you had been seen going towards Bred- 
ding Woods. And then I remembered what you had 
said about poachers in the morning; and, know- 
ing you were mad enough for anything, we all tore 
along as hard as we could to see what you were up to.” 

There was a pause, and then Harry said, in a 
meditative tone — 

** And so you’ve saved my life ! It’s rather odd 
that it should have been you, isn’t it ?” 

“ Why odd ? As long as there was somebody to 
do it, surely it doesn’t matter who it was.” 

“ Well, it’s rather a pity it wasn’t Luke Standen,” 
said Harry, musingly. It would have made him so 
awfully happy !” 

“ Well, don’t you think I’m happy enough over it, 
then?” 

“ Oh, I daresay. But not in the same way. Luke 
Standen has been in love with me ever since I was 
twelve.” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


8l 


Well, that isn’t so very many years, is it ?” 

“ More than six,” said Harry. ‘‘ Isn’t that a good 
test of affection, that it should last six years ?” 

“ It will be a better test when it has lasted sixty.” 

** Why, I shouldn’t expect it to last all that time, 
even if I were to marry him.” 

Why, aren’t you going to marry him ?” 

*‘Oh, no. He’s too poor. He’s got an elder 
brother, and even he won’t have much. Poor Luke’s 
got to be a clerk in a bank, or something horrid like 
that. And as I shall have nothing, how could I 
marry him ?” 

Then you don’t believe in love in a cottage ?” 

“ Oh, I suppose some people love in some cot- 
tages. But then they must be people who are used 
to cottages, you know, and who can boil potatoes 
and scrub floors. Now, I can groom a horse, but 
that accomplishment wouldn’t be very useful, for we 
shouldn’t be able to keep a horse.” 

** Let’s hope that a rich uncle of Luke’s will come 
back from Australia, so that you may be able to avoid 
the cottage after all.” 

Oh,” said Harry, ingenuously, ** but he would be 
too late. I’m going to marry Lord Ambry. Do 
you know him ? His first wife died two years ago. 
He’s got grown-up children of his own, and grand- 
children, too. You would have seen him about here, 
only that he’s laid up with gout just now, and can’t 
get out.” 

Hubert could not repress a slight movement, indica- 
tive of the disgust he felt. 

‘•You’re going to marry a gouty old man with 

/ 


82 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


grandchildren cried he, not concealing the light in 
which he viewed the announcement. 

“ Well, I’m obliged to. People think I’m very 
lucky. But of course he would not want to marry 
me if my face were disfigured.” 

Then,” replied Hubert, warmly, I think it’s a 
pity you were not disfigured.” 

” I’m very much obliged to you.” 

Hubert was silent. He felt that he had already 
said too much. But this girl had somehow the 
faculty of irritating him out of discretion. She 
would not leave him alone, however. 

“Why do you speak in that tone of disgust? 
What right have you to find fault with what I do ?” 

“ None at all,” he answered, promptly. “ I am 
sorry if I seem to blame you. No doubt it is other 
people who are to blame.” 

“ My father ? My brothers ?” said Harry, sharply. 
“ They approve of it.” 

“ No doubt. But does your aunt, Lady Maggie ?” 

“ Oh, Aunt Maggie’s opinions are always out of 
date.” 

“ I thought so. Her opinions would be mine, I 
expect. However, as you say, I have no right even 
to make a remark about the matter. Please consider 
that my words were only an abstract expression of 
opinion as to marriages between old men and young 
women in general.” 

“ Perhaps,” said Harry, after a pause, “ you are 
sorry you saved my life, since I’m going to marry 
Lord Ambry ?” 

Hubert hesitated a moment. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


83 

** I can’t say that, of course,” he answered at last. 
** But — well, I would rather have saved the life of the 
girl who was going to marry ” 

‘‘ Whom ?” 

” Luke Standen.” 

“ Thank you,” said she, coldly. 

There was constraint between them after this, and 
they went on silently until Harry varied the monotony 
of the ride by becoming faint again. Hubert, on the 
alert, supported her in the saddle. 

Keep up !” said he, in a coaxing tone. “ Keep 
up your strength and spirits just a few minutes 
longer. We’re very near now.” 

The girl rallied valiantly, and kept her seat, with 
Hubert’s help, till they reached the farm-house. 

At the very time of their arrival they saw Giles 
Brancepeth in the distance, mounted on his own horse 
and leading Harry’s. After this, therefore, all was 
plain sailing. They knocked up the people of the 
farm-house, who had gone to bed, and Harry re- 
mained with one of her brothers in the sitting-room 
while another rode home for a carriage. Hubert 
escaped as quickly as he could from the thanks of 
Harry’s brothers, mounted his own niare “Black- 
berry,” and rode back to Culverley. 

Just before he started he asked himself whether 
he should go indoors and wish Harry “ good-night.” 
He decided in the negative, for an odd reason. 

“ I don’t like her,” he said to himself. “ And — 
and I don’t want to have to like her. She’s d — ^ — d 
plucky though, d d plucky !” 


84 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


A 


CHAPTER IX. 

Mrs. Floriston was thrown into a state of great 
anxiety by the share her brother had had in the events 
of that momentous evening. She did not learn all 
about it until luncheon-time on the following day ; 
and in the mean time she had met the Vicar’s wife, 
and heard so much to the discredit of the Brance- 
peths, that she was even sorry she had dined at their 
house. 

When, therefore, Hubert told her the whole story, 
she set about devising plans for weaning him from 
his intention of spending the winter in the neigh- 
bourhood. 

In the mean time it was important to find out what 
sort of impression this objectionable young woman, 
with her undesirably handsome grey eyes, had made 
upon him, and whether his reluctance to quit the 
Vicarage had anything to do with her. 

I hope she was grateful to you for doing so much 
for her,” she began, being too clever to betray her 
deep anxiety. 

“ Quite as grateful as was necessary, considering 
the exceedingly strained relations between us. When 
a young lady has signified her appreciation of your 
many good points by cutting you across the face, it’s 
wonderful how long it takes to get on friendly terms 
again with her.” 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


85 

The longer the better !” thought Mrs. Floriston. 
But all she said aloud was, “ Doesn’t she improve at 
all on closer acquaintance, then ?” 

Hubert, who was peeling walnuts, answered in a 
careless tone, as if his occupation took up more of 
his attention than the subject of the conversation. 

“ Oh, I don’t want to be too hard upon the girl. 
She hasn’t had much chance of being — anything but 
what she is. She’s engaged ” 

Mrs. Floriston breathed a silent sigh of relief. 

“ — to Lord Ambry.” 

“ To Lord Ambry ! That young girl ! Does she 
know — anything about him ?” 

Presumably not as much as we know. But she 
knows he is sixty, that he is a grandfather, and that 
he is laid up with periodical attacks of gout, and she 
is quite satisfied.” 

“ Really, it’s very shocking, don’t you think so ?” 

When I ventured to say so, I was told to mind 
my own business.” 

This seemed to Mrs. Floriston a favourable oppor- 
tunity for a suggestion she was longing to make. 

“ Don’t you think, dear, that we had better have 
as little as possible to do with these people ? I hear 
there are even worse accusations made against them 
than that of marrying their womenfolk to old men. 
It appears it’s not safe to play cards with the brothers, 
and that they don’t pay their racing debts.” 

“Well, the young men have been civil enough. 
One can’t quite turn the other way if they wish one 
' good-morning,’ especially as they consider I’ve laid 
them under an obligation.” 

8 


86 


A SPOILT GIPL. 


“ Exactly. Then don’t you think the best way to 
avoid them is to leave the place ?” 

It would be one way, certainly. But I have never 
yet been frightened out of an intention ; and I don’t 
mean to let the presence of the Brancepeths frighten 
me out of my intention of spending the winter here. 
And I am out of the nursery, you know, Maud.” 

Mrs. Floriston knew better than to say any more. 

She was delighted to find, as the days went by, 
that Hubert kept himself commendably free from 
intimacy with the family at Culverley Place. He 
did not even call there, to inquire how Miss Brance- 
peth was after her accident; and Mrs. Ploriston, 
although she would have thought his neglect inex- 
cusable in the case of any other sufferer, took his 
duty upon her own shoulders without a murmur. 

But although she called assiduously, she never 
once saw the convalescent, and she was shrewd 
enough to think this a bad sign. 

She knew that this avoidance of her on the part 
of Harry must be the result of some strong feeling ; 
and strong feelings between the household at Cul- 
verley Place and that at the Vicarage, of whatever 
kind, were undesirable. She began to dread the 
inevitable moment when Miss Brancepeth would be 
about again, and when she would meet Hubert, and 
there would be reproaches and explanations. 

And then, to her great annoyance, just when she 
heard that Harry had quite recovered, and was ex- 
pecting to be on her horse in a day or two. Colonel 
Floriston, her husband, wired for her to come back 
home, as he had sprained his ankle. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


87 

Just like Hugh, to sprain his ankle at the wrong 
time !” murmured Maud, when she read the letter. 

There was no help for it, however. And within 
an hour of her receipt of the telegram Mrs. Floriston 
was driving to the nearest station, with her brother 
beside her. 

“ I do hope, dear, that you won’t be worried or 
annoyed while I am away by those horrid Brance- 
peths !” were her parting words to him. 

But it was only one of the horrid Brancepeths 
whom she really feared. 

Hubert drove back to Culverley, had his luncheon, 
read his paper by the dining-room fire, and then 
walked in a leisurely manner across the hall to the 
drawing-room. 

It was a dark November afternoon, and there was 
scarcely any daylight left. A red fire, partly coal 
and partly wood, threw a warm glow on the white 
skin hearth-rug, the grey and gold walls, and the 
white dimity covers of the old-fashioned sofas and 
arm-chairs. 

A tall figure sprang up from the fireside as Hubert 
entered, and he stopped short in astonishment and 
perhaps dismay. 

For the intruder was Harry. Even by this faint 
light he saw that a great change had taken place in 
the girl’s looks. She had grown thinner, so much 
so that the outline of her face was altered, and at the 
first glance she did not look like the same woman. 

Miss — Brancepeth !” 

“ Yes, yes ; why, who did you suppose it was ?” 
cried she, impatiently. “ What a long time you have 


88 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


been over your luncheon ! Are you always so long? 
Or did you guess that I should be in here waiting 
for you ?” 

“ I certainly did not guess that,” said he, with 
decision. But — er — how did you — when did you 
come in ? And do you know that my sister has been 
called away ? She went to town this morning.” 

‘‘Of course I knew your sister was gone. Do 
you suppose I should have come if I hadn’t ? She 
doesn’t like me. She’s what I call a cat.” 

This was plain-speaking indeed. It did not help 
the conversation forward. After a pause, during 
which Hubert looked at the fire, and tried to appear 
as if he hadn’t heard her last remark, she went 
on — 

“ As for the way I got in : look here !’* 

She produced a penknife, and nodded towards the 
window : “ I put back the catch with this and got in ?” 

“ Why, that’s a burglarious sort of entry, isn’t it ?” 

“ Well, I didn’t want anybody to know I’d come. 
You know how people chatter about their neigh- 
bours’ affairs ?” 

“ But this is the way to make them chatter. Miss 
Brancepeth. Let me call at your house if you are 
good enough to wish to speak to me.” 

“ I’m good enough to wish to speak to you here /” 
replied Harry, emphatically. “You won’t come up 
to the Place, I know. And I don’t blame you for 
it. Sit down, for I’ve got a lot to say, and I must 
collect my ideas.” 

She had reseated herself on a low, square stool 
in front of the fire ; and she intimated to him, with 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


89 


an imperious gesture, that the place he was to take 
was the corner of the nearest sofa, close to her and 
to the fire. 

Not knowing what to do to propitiate and get rid 
of his embarrassing guest, Hubert slipped into the 
seat she pointed out. 

Harry, who did not in the least share his embar- 
rassment, remained silent for some time, resting her 
chin on her right hand, and tapping the steel bar of 
the fender with the walking-stick she carried in her 
ungloved left hand. Hubert watched her, and was 
more struck than before by the alteration which the 
past few weeks had made. She suddenly turned 
her face towards him, and her eyes met his. 

“ You’re watching me,” she said, impatiently. 

And I don’t like it. I know you’re thinking what 
an odd creature it is, and wishing it would go.” 

I am wishing the creature would go, certainly. 
But it is for the odd creature’s own sake, not for 
mine. If the creature’s, brothers found out it was 
here, the creature’s unwilling host would stand a 
very good chance of having his head broken, that’s 
what I’m thinking.” 

Harry only smiled. 

“ You can take care of your own head,” said she. 

It is of no use for you to appeal to me for pity ; for 
you are the sort of person who has no pity for 
others.” 

“ Miss Brancepeth !” 

Oh, yes. You have read me more than one lect- 
ure; now it is my turn to read you one. What 
right have you to judge me so harshly as you do? 

8 ^ 


90 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


You tell me I ought to marry Luke Standen, and 
not Lord Ambry. Have you ever seen Luke 

Hubert was astonished. 

Why, no,” stammered he, in some confusion. 
“ I have not. But ” 

Well, then, wait till you have before you are so 
certain I ought to marry him. Why should I marry 
him more than Lord Ambry, since I don’t care for 
the one more than for the other ?” 

But, surely, if you don’t care for either of them, 
there is no necessity for your marrying either of 
them.” 

“Yes, but there is. We’re frightfully poor, and 
getting poorer every day. If anything dreadful 
happened, and we were smashed up and had to 
leave Culverley, we should sink right down into — 
oh, into coal-porters, or — or billiard-markers, or 
something unheard of like that. Giles says so. 
And I should have to be drowned, like a kitten, 
Giles says, since no one wonld have me for a com- 
panion or a governess, and there are no women 
grooms.” 

Hubert tried to keep a grave face, since the girl 
was terribly in earnest ; but the effort was too much 
for him, and he began to laugh. 

She shot an astonished and angry glance at him. 

“ I beg your pardon,’’ said he, quickly. “ I didn’t 
mean to laugh. But you’re not really afraid of being 
drowned, are you, like a kitten >” 

“ Well, the only alternative is to marry Lord 
Ambry.” 

She looked at Hubert; but he was discreet this 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


91 


time, and made no reply. There was silence for 
some minutes, and then she startled her host by 
jumping up from her seat and beginning to pace up 
and down the room. 

“ I wish you’d never come to the place !” she cried, 
impatiently. It’s all through you that I got my 
arm broken, and was shut up for days and days in 
the house thinking, thinking — and I hate thinking — 
until I have made myself so miserable that I want to 
die. I was happy before, riding and hunting and 
shooting all day, and then coming back too tired at 
night to do anything but go to sleep. And now you 
have put ideas into my head and spoilt it all for me ! 
And you don’t even care enough to call at the house 
to ask if I am getting better.” 

Hubert was moved by the girl’s earnestness, by 
the restless unhappiness which betrayed itself in 
every look and tone. 

“You are quite right; I ought to be ashamed of 
myself,” said he, as he rose and stood by the mantle- 
piece. “ I ought to have called. But I was afraid 
of— of intruding, and, besides, I never do pay 
calls.” 

“ You call at the Vicarage !” said she, sharply. 

“ Well, the Vicar is my landlord, you know.” 

“You are in love with Kathleen, aren’t you? 
Athelstan says so, and he says he’ll blow your brains 
out if you marry her.” 

“ He’s very good. I’m sure. One doesn’t seem to 
be able to do anything in this place without incur- 
ring some bodily injury from one or other of your 
family.” 


92 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Don’t ! don’t !” cried Harry, sinking down upon 
the sofa opposite to him. 

And he saw a tear start from her eye and roll 
down her cheek. 

“ It’s the second time you’ve made me cry. I, 
who never do such a thing,” cried she, indignantly, 
as she dashed away the trace of her weakness. 
“ Do you think you ought to remind me of what I 
did to you, when I’ve had to have my life saved by 
you ? Oh, how humiliating it is to think of it ! 
When other people would have been so glad to have 
done it, too, and would have been quite proud of it !” 

Hubert did not at once answer. Presently Harry 
sat down again on the square foot-stool, and looked 
searchingly into his face. 

“Why don’t you answer me? What are you 
thinking about ?” she asked, inquisitorially. 

“ I was thinking,” answered he, frankly, “ that you 
are the strangest combination of a young man and a 
baby that I ever met. Instead of being thankful to 
have got out of the scrape you were in that night, 
you are full of childish vanity because you happened 
to be saved by the wrong man.” 

“That’s the baby part of me; then what is the 
man part ?” 

“You are straightforward and daring, and simple- 
minded ?” 

“ But you don’t like those qualities ?’* 

“ I do.” 

“ I thought you didn’t like anything about me ?” 

“You were mistaken,” answered Hubert in his 
most judicial tone. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 93 

‘‘ Do you like me enough to accept an invitation 
to the Place ?” 

“ Oh, if you put it like that, what can I say ?” 

“ Then there !” cried Harry, as she produced from 
the pocket of her dress a note, which she tossed over 
to him. 

He caught it, opened and read it. It was an in- 
vitation from Sir Giles to dine at the Place that 
evening. 

“ Giles made him write it, I think,” remarked 
Harry, as she got up to go. 

Hubert saw a strangely reserved expression come 
suddenly into her face, which was as open and frank 
as a child’s. 

Well, are you coming ?” she asked, shortly. 

“ If you wish it, certainly.” 

Pm not sure that I do,” she answered, musingly. 
“ Luke will disapprove of you.” 

Why ?” 

“Oh, well, it doesn’t matter if he does. Good- 
bye.” 

She held out her hand. 

“ Now,” said she, “ I can make a bet that you will 
come.” 

“ You don’t think it wrong to take advantage of 
your special knowledge ?” 

“ Oh, the boys never pay their bets, so it doesn’t 
matter,” said Harry, ingenuously. She walked 
towards the window. “ I suppose you have never 
been in love, have you ?” 

“ Why, yes ; I’m generally in love, I think. Most 
people are, aren’t they ?” 


94 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


‘‘I don’t know. I’ve never been. I think it’s 
silly.” 

“ Then is it because you look upon me as a silly 
person that you asked me the question ?” 

No ; just the reverse. You seem to me to put on 
airs of being ridiculously wise. Good-bye.” 

The window had already swung on its hinges be- 
hind her, and he saw her vault over the wall into the 
orchard and disappear among the bare fruit-trees in 
the gloaming. 

He walked backwards and forwards a few times in 
the room, just where she had walked. Then he 
stopped and looked at the fire. 

“ An odd creature !” he mused, as he twisted in his 
fingers the note which contained the invitation of Sir 
Giles. ” Not detestable, as I thought at first. Only 
absurdly odd. Handsome, too, and rather interest- 
ing as a curiosity. Never been in love? she says. 
Good heavens ! What a life she’d lead a man if she 
were !” 

There was a sharp tap on the window. Hubert 
was surprised to find that his heart leaped with 
strange excitement as he threw it open. 

But it was not Harry, as he had found himself 
hoping. It was a short, thickset young man, with a 
square, flabby face, a long upper lip, and a pugnacious 
nose. 

“Another of the local ruffians!” thought Hubert, 
as, without any warning, the new-comer dealt him a 
tremendous blow in the chest. • 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


95 


CHAPTER X. 

From the day when, by his ill-advised act of 
passion, Athelstan Brancepeth had destroyed poor 
Kathleen’s pear-tree and her prospects of winter 
pocket-money at the same time, no word had been 
exchanged between these two young people. 

This was not Athelstan’s fault. 

If ever a man tried to atone, by abject, patient self- 
abasement, for a wrong done, that man was he. He 
hung about Mr. Griffith’s garden ; but, however 
stealthily he approached, Kathleen was always slip- 
ping out of sight, blind and deaf to him, when he 
reached the palings. He wrote her letters, not par- 
ticularly well spelt, but very, very humble, promising 
to pay her the price of her pears, and begging for 
forgiveness. The letters were returned unopened, and 
redirected to him in a handwriting which was not 
hers. 

He went to church ; but her seat was a long way 
from the pew which belonged to Culverley Place, 
and she always came out in the very centre of a body- 
guard of freckled, spectacled sisters. 

Although he was constantly on the lookout for an 
opportunity of meeting her alone, it was not until the 
afternoon of the day on which Mrs. Floriston started 
for town that he at last had the good luck to espy her 
in the distance, crossing a boggy, fresh-ploughed 
field, with an umbrella in one hand and a bag of 
bopks in the other. 


96 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


He was on horseback, trotting slowly along the 
high-road, on his return from a day’s cub-hunting. 
His heart leaped up, and he reined in his horse 
sharply when he caught sight of the' girl. She could 
not escape him now, for he saw by the direction in 
which she was going that she was on her way to 
Middleforth, a straggling village on the outskirts of 
Mr. Griffith’s parish, where there was a small chapel, 
served by him and his one curate. 

There was always, so it seemed to the Brance- 
peths, who used to meet the Vicar’s womenkind 
going to and fro, a meeting or a service of some sort 
being held in the chapel, and Athelstan knew that it 
was duty and not pleasure which took Kathleen 
through inches of mud on this foggy, sloppy Novem- 
ber afternoon. 

He jumped off his horse and waited for her. 

There was a high bank, with a little scrubby fringe 
of hedge on the top, which hid her from his view as 
soon as he dismounted. He listened for her approach, 
his heart beating very fast. What a long time these 
girls take to get over the ground ! And she had 
seemed to be skimming along like a hare, too! 
Presently the suspicion seized him that she had seen, 
and meant to avoid him. 

He left his horse in the road, crept up the bank, 
and peeped through the bare brambles. There was 
nobody in sight. And she had been making straight 
for the spot on which he stood. 

In an instant the passionate young man felt his ex- 
citement, his penitential self-abasement turn to resent- 
ment. Who was she, this parson’s daughter, to treat 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


97 


a Brancepeth like this ? He mounted his horse again, 
rode on a little way, and examined the landscape in 
every direction. And in a few seconds he caught 
sight of a flying figure, the very figure he wanted to 
see, disappearing behind a little copse into a foot-path 
which was a roundabout way into Middleforth. 

He was not going to miss her this time, the little 
vixen. With more of anger than of humiliation in 
his feelings, he put his horse at a gate which stood in 
the way between him and her, cleared it, and, gallop- 
ing across the intervening fields, came up with her 
when she was splashing through the mud of the little 
sloping, slippery path. 

You’ve chosen a pretty way to come!” said he, 
sulkily, raising his hat with a scowl, and reining in 
his horse to accommodate his pace to hers. 

No answer. She hurried on, splashing into a big 
puddle, and tearing her ulster against a bramble 
which protruded from the copse. 

** I know you’ve only taken this path to avoid me, 
and it serves you right that you’re getting all over 
mud !” said her amiable pursuer. You are a vixen !” 

No answer again. But he could hear her panting, 
and had at least the satisfaction of knowing that she 
was angry too. A little way ahead the path she was 
following became wider, and was enclosed between 
hedges. Here he would have to keep outside, and 
she would be able to maintain her obstinate silence 
with more ease, since there would be a barrier be- 
tween them. So he rode on a little way, and then, 
suddenly dismounting, stood beside his horse right in 
her path. 

E g 


9 


98 


A SPOILT CIPL. 


She paused for a moment, and then made up her 
mind what to do, and came on quite steadily until she 
was within six feet of where he stood waiting. 

‘‘You will not prevent my passing, I suppose?” 
cried she then. And she looked up, and flashed at 
him steadily such a look from her brown eyes that 
he felt himself suddenly overawed and put to a dis- 
advantage. “After what you have done already, you 
could hardly do that !” 

Now at these words Athelstan, much to his own 
astonishment, suddenly broke down. His surly man- 
ner changed. He spoke with the shamefaced piteous 
confusion of a boy. 

“ I — I — I — oh, Miss Kathleen, you are hard on a 
fellow ! Wasn’t I sorry ? Haven’t I tried to speak 
to you again and again to tell you so ?” 

“ Papa doesn’t wish me to speak to you again.” 

“ But he has no right to prevent you from hearing 
me apologise!” 

“ I don’t wish you to apologise. I only wish you 
not to speak to me.” 

“ You do really wish that ?” 

Now it was Kathleen’s turn to be astonished at 
herself. She found it quite surprisingly hard to put 
the necessary dashing assurance into her answer — 

“ Yes, I do.” 

Certain little passages of half-trivial, half-tender 
words, certain short silences, certain shy glances, 
which had from time to time-, at longish intervals, 
helped to pass the time at chance meetings between 
them at the local flower-shows and other more formal 
assemblies, came to the minds of these two, as the one 


A SPOILT GIRL. 99 

pronounced and the other listened to this edict of 
eternal severance. 

She had said the words with her eyelids lowered, 
so that she could not see how he received them. 
There was a pause, and then Kathleen heard him 
tightening the girths of his saddle, not so much be- 
cause they were loose as because he wanted some- 
thing to do with his hands. She glanced up quickly. 
His back was turned. She made a dash for it, and 
passed him. Then, without a look behind, she fled 
along the path, splashing through pools of muddy 
water, slipping over dead branches of trees, until 
she was well within the shelter of the hedged walk 
which led into the village. 

It was a missionary meeting at the chapel which 
had brought her over. Mr. Griffith was kept away 
by duties in another part of the parish, and it so 
happened that Kathleen was the only one of the 
ladies of the family who could be spared to represent 
the Vicar’s household at this important function. 

She was very much ashamed, poor girl, at the 
plight in which she was obliged to present herself at 
the chapel. As this was also the school-room, there 
had been rather a scramble to get the place in order 
in time for the meeting ; and the missionary, who was 
a lady, was taking off her goloshes, surrounded by 
billows of slates, when Kathleen dashed in. 

The meeting was not a very large one, although it 
had been announced, as a great attraction, that the 
lady who held it would appear in native Indian dress 
at one point of the lecture. This v/as, of course, the 
excitement of the afternoon ; and the elderly females 


lOO 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


in shabby bonnets, who, with the exception of the 
school-children, formed almost the whole of the 
audience, were whispering together very audible 
comments on the prospect before them. 

What’s it like, this Injin dress ? I ’ave ’eard tell 
it’s nothin’ more nor less than a few beads,” remarked 
one, whose recollections of what she had heard of 
the South Sea Islanders were probably coming to 
her aid. 

Oh, it’ll be more’n that, or she wouldn’t wear it, 
a respectable-lookin’ person like her !” said a wiser 
friend, reassuringly. Of course there’s Injins — 
and Injins, just like there’s differences among our- 
selves. We shouldn’t wear no low necks and short 
sleeves out there to show ’em how they dress over 
here !” 

Kathleen, who had taken off her waterproof and 
seated herself at the harmonium, was smiling to 
herself at this scrap of dialogue when, to her un- 
speakable horror and amazement, the chapel door 
creaked on its hinges, and was thrown wide open to 
admit — Athelstan Brancepeth. 

To describe the sensation produced by his appear- 
ance would be impossible. A bull in a china shop 
is a welcome visitor compared to a young man of 
known irreverent and sporting tendencies, in a well- 
splashed scarlet coat and top-boots, in the midst of 
a select party of old village gossips, met. together for 
the quiet enjoyment of harmless twaddle on a wet 
afternoon. 

The school-children sprang up with one accord, 
like reeds blown by a sudden gust of wind. The 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


lOI 


old women shook with scandalised consternation. 
The poor missionary, although she did not know the 
Brancepeths and their reputation, looked frightened 
and perplexed; while Kathleen, who felt that this 
visitation was due to her, felt that the chapel walls 
were swimming round her, and that the keys of the 
harmonium were dancing with unaccustomed liveli- 
ness close to her eyes. 

Only the cause of the excitement seemed to take 
things as a matter of course, although he probably 
felt more emotion at the unusual circumstances in 
which he found himself than he expressed with visi- 
ble signs. Contrary to the prevailing impression 
that his object was to create a disturbance, the un- 
welcome guest bore himself with great discretion, 
made himself as unconspicuous as possible by seat- 
ing himself behind a row -of females of extensive 
proportions, and sat like a mouse until the proceed- 
ings began. 

The wise ones began to exchange glances and 
whispers, and to nod their heads in the direction of 
the Vicar’s pretty daughter. She, however, was 
careful never to turn her head, least the merest 
glimpse caught of her crimson face should prove a 
tacit acknowledgment that she knew of his pres- 
ence. 

The missionary began nervously, with a prayer 
and a hymn. Athelstan made as little clanking of 
his spurs as possible when he knelt down, and sang 
the hymn through with plenty of zeal and vigour 
when he stood up. Kathleen breathed more freely. 
There was evidently nothing to fear from him until 


102 ; A SPOILT GIRL. 

the meeting was over. She tried to compose herself 
to listen to the lecture with attention and profit. 

The address was of the familiar harmless, unneces- 
sary type. 

The speaker, a quiet-looking, but energetic young 
woman of the class that upper servants come from, 
had been some time in India, and had worked hard, 
with very small results, among the ladies of that 
country, whom she looked upon as greatly her in- 
feriors. She considered them quite remarkably ob- 
stinate because they had received her with curiosity 
and courtesy rather than with enthusiasm and rever- 
ence, and was strongly of opinion that something 
serious would happen to the country unless enough 
pennies were speedily collected to send her out again 
among them. 

Of interesting information she had of course very 
little to give ; but she told a few harmless anecdotes 
without much point, and finally wound a scarf around 
her, and hung a pair of huge brass earrings round 
her ears, to give them, as she said, “ some idea of 
what the natives looked like.” 

This was rather disappointing; but the hearers 
glanced at the intruder in scarlet, and threw the 
blame of this meagre display upon him. Then there 
was another hymn, in which Athelstan joined with 
a display of lung-power which obtained universal 
admiration, and then another prayer, and the meeting 
was over. 

Kathleen played one voluntary, and then another ; 
in fact, she played on as long as there was anybody 
to play to, in the hope of tiring Athelstan out. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


103 


Then she sprang up suddenly and closed the in- 
strument, feeling that the old busybodies would be 
sure to say she was waiting for him. And then she 
left the building hastily by a side-entrance, after 
thanking the missionary, and giving her father’s 
apologies for his unavoidable absence from her 
“ most interesting address.” 

And of course she ran into Athelstan, or was run 
into by him, before she reached the end of the little 
street. 

“Won’t you speak to me?” asked he in a low 
voice. 

She hesitated. Then, thinking that after all he 
had behaved less badly than he might have done, 
she softened sufficiently to give him only a modified 
snub. 

“ I would rather not, please,” she said, in a reluc- 
tant and gentle tone. “You know you ought not to 
have gone to that meeting,” she burst out in sudden 
excitement. 

And then she turned away rather quickly, and 
Athelstan felt happier, since he fancied he detected 
on her face a quickly repressed smile. 

“ I didn’t do any harm — this time,” he pleaded, 
meekly. “Just tell me this : did you really think her 
lecture Wery interesting’ ? You know you told her 
so.” 

Kathleen swung her string bag of books nervously. 
She felt that it was wrong to be thus parleying with 
the enemy, but, on the other hand, she did not want 
to be too rude. 

“ One is obliged to say those things,” she said. 


104 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


looking away into the gathering dusk over a hill. 
“ Besides, you made her nervous. You had no right 
to be there,” she added, quite severely. 

“ I only came in as one of the public,” said Athel- 
stan, still as meek as a mouse. 

“Oh, no, you didn’t!” said Kathleen, sharply. 
“ You did it to annoy me.” 

Now this was a very foolish speech. She saw at 
once the disadvantage at which it placed her. Athel- 
stan came a step nearer on the instant and took hold 
of her bag of books. 

“ Let me carry these for you ; you know they’re 
heavy, and it’s a bore to take them. And,” he 
stooped now to whisper, “ and you know I’m long- 
ing to do something to make amends. Let me — 
do.” 

But his near approach, the momentary contact of 
her hand with his as he tried to take the bag by 
force, frightened her and put her on her dignity 
again. 

“ No, oh, no ! Please, please get on your horse 
and ride on. Papa will be very, very angry when he 
knows I’ve spoken to you at all. And when he 
hears that you were at the meeting — somebody’s 
sure to tell him — I don’t know what he will say.” 

“ A pretty thing for the Vicar of the parish to dis- 
approve of people trying to improve their minds 
and save their souls !” grumbled Athelstan. “ He’ll 
be complaining of my going to church next, I sup- 
pose ?” 

“ He does rejoined Kathleen, eagerly. “ He says 
you make the children giggle.” 


A SPOILT GIRL, 105 

Well, he makes them yawn !” retorted Athelstan, 
hotly. 

Kathleen drew herself up. 

‘‘ It doesn’t matter what he does,” said she, with 
dignity. ” He’s the Vicar.” 

This was unanswerable. Athelstan, after a mo- 
ment’s silence, tried another tack. 

“ It was he who sent back my letters, I suppose ?” 

“ Of course. I asked him to.” 

No, you didn’t.” 

Kathleen blushed, but it was too dark for him to 
see how deeply. 

I mean,” corrected she, haughtily, that I asked 
him to redirect them when he said that they were to 
go back.” 

” How did you know that the letters were from 
me ? I’ve never written to you before ?” 

“I guessed,” admitted Kathleen, quickly, and 
blushed again. “ I thought you would apolo- 
gise.” 

Athelstan stooped again. 

“ You will go to the ball, won’t you ?” 

“ N-n-n-no.” The answer was almost a sob. 

Through me ?” 

There was no answer to this. Athelstan drew 
himself up, knitted his brows, and suddenly put his 
hand to his pocket, pulled out his watch, and looked 
at it: not at the time, but at the back, and then 
inside at the works. Then he slapped it into his 
pocket again quickly, and turned again to speak to 
her. 

But she had gone ; in the twilight she had made 


io6 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


her escape down an alley close at hand, and there 
was nothing for him to do but to mount his horse 
and return home at a gallop by the high-road. 


CHAPTER XL 

At the time that Athelstan and Kathleen were 
having their short passage of arms in Middleforth 
Village, Hubert Besils was just recovering from the 
astonishment into which he had been thrown by the 
attack of his unknown assailant on the lawn of the 
Vicarage. 

“ Who are you ?” he asked, as, without waiting for 
an answer, he dealt a blow in return at the pugna- 
cious intruder, which sent him staggering backwards. 
‘‘One more of the Brancepeths, I suppose? You 
have the same amiable and ingratiating manners.” 

“ My name’s Luke Standen,” replied the thickset 
little man, shortly. “ And I want to know what you 
mean by entertaining a young girl in your house ?” 

‘‘It was an accident,” answered Hubert at once. 
“ Miss Brancepeth came to call on my sister, and 
finding she had left for town this morning, she was 
too well-bred to rush away at once, as if she was 
afraid of me.” 

But Luke Standen snorted incredulously. 

“Rubbish!” ejaculated he, shortly. “I know 
Harry.” 

Apparently he did, for, instead of making any 
further inquiries, he said, despondently — 


A SPOILT GIRL. lO/ 

“ I saw her go back over the wall. She’s always 
up to some wild folly or other.” 

And I suppose it would be impertinent to ask 
what you were doing in this garden, which seems to 
be public property ?” 

“ Oh, I apologise,” said Standen, in a curious tone. 
And then he made up his mind to be frank, and in a 
good-humoured and rather pleasant voice said, The 
fact is, sir, I followed her through the orchard and 
saw her get into your house. I’m always following 
her about. I can’t help it. But I shouldn’t have 
gone as far as I did to-day if I hadn’t been jealous. 
I hope you’ll accept my apologies. I had no business 
either to watch her or to let my temper get the better 
of me and strike you. But, I assure you, sir, that 
girl does make a fellow mad !” 

“ I should think she might,” answered Hubert, 
reflectively. 

“ You see,” Standen went on, ** it didn’t matter my 
seeing her come, because I know her wild ways. But 
supposing anybody else had seen her, what would 
they have thought? Now, what would they have 
thought?” 

^‘That’s just it. Surely there must be somebody, 
her father or her aunt, who would speak to her with 
authority and check these freaks? Couldn’t you 
try now, instead of following her about without any 
protest ?” 

But the young man shook his head. 

“ She wouldn’t listen to me. She wouldn’t care a 
rush for what I say. I was going to suggest that 
you should.” / 


io8 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


“ I !” exclaimed Hubert. Good gracious, I haven’t 
spoken to her more than a dozen times ! And — and 
we have been by no means on the best of terms, 
either.” 

“Ah, but you saved her life. You’re a lucky 
beggar !” said Standen, enviously. “ I suppose it’s 
that makes her think so much of you.” 

“Think so much of me !” returned Hubert, blankly. 

“ Oh, yes. I knew she’d come and see you ; she 
was so piqued at your not coming to her.” Then, 
after a moment’s silence, he asked, sharply, “ Aren’t 
you in love with her ?” 

“No, certainly not. You may make your mind 
quite easy about that.” 

But instead of appearing relieved, Luke Standen 
sighed. 

“ Now, I made up my mind you would be,” he said, 
regretfully. 

“ Why, man, you don’t want a second rival, do 
you ?” 

“ Rival ? No. Rivalry is out of the question. 
She doesn’t care for me in the right way ; never did 
and never will. But I should have liked to see her 
married to a decent fellow, and not to that vile old 
brute Ambry. You’re rich ; you’d have been listened 
to. I’m sorry.” 

Hubert was touched by the young man’s simple 
sincerity. He invited him into the house ; and the 
two men who had begun half an hour before by ex- 
changing blows were soon smoking in amicable 
silence before the study fire. 

And then Hubert heard a few more details con- 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


109 


cerning Lord Ambry and his engagement, which 
made him sorry for the young girl who, at the age 
of eighteen, was to be sacrificed to the interests of 
her needy and greedy family. It appeared that even 
old Sir Giles, a not over-squeamish man, had hesi- 
tated to marry his fair young daughter to a man who 
had led so notorious a life as Lord Ambry. But the 
old viscount, who was not accustomed to be thwarted 
in his whims, had got such a hold on the estate that 
it depended on his good pleasure whether the Brance- 
peths should be sold up or not. And the property 
was to become hers outright, by settlement, on her 
marriage. 

“ But that would mean her brothers’ benefit and 
not hers,” added Luke. “ And as Lord Ambry is 
mean as well as jealous, he would make up for this 
one free-handed act by cutting down her allow- 
ance.” 

It seemed a hard case for the girl, certainly. And 
when the two men took leave of each other a little 
later, Hubert said that Luke must pluck up heart 
and try to win her yet. 

Luke, however, only smiled grimly and shook his 
head. 

I’m not good enough for her,” he said. But 
I’d like to see her the wife of a man who was.” 

They met again that evening, and by appointment 
walked up to Culverley Place together. 

Harry was alone in the drawing-room when they 
entered, and she flushed with evident displeasure 
when she saw them enter together. 

Luke Standen sighed. He knew her well enough 
10 


no 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


to be sure that it was he whom she considered de 
trop, 

Hubert, who had never before seen Harry in 
evening dress, was struck by her splendid appearance. 
She wore a plainly-made gown of plum-coloured 
velvet, cut square back and front, with short puffed 
sleeves. It was a rather matronly garment for so 
young a girl, but it showed off her fair hair and 
white neck to brilliant advantage. She wore no 
ornaments but a tiny thread of a chain round her 
neck, on which hung a small, old-fashioned locket. 

She shook hands graciously enough, but seemed 
worried and anxious. 

** Papa’s had a letter from Lord Ambry,” she said 
quickly to Luke. ‘‘ We are not to wait dinner, but 
he is coming.” 

And she threw a comprehensive glance, full of 
some unspeakable anxiety, over her own hands and 
arms. Luke took the first opportunity of explaining 
this glance to Hubert. 

He’s given her some handsome jewelry,” he 
whispered. *‘And he’ll expect to see it. And it’s 
all been borrowed — and pawned by her brothers !” 

They were seated at dinner by this time, and 
Hubert, whose interest in the story of the young 
girl and her marriage was growing stronger, looked 
at Harry. It seemed to him that she looked as if 
she had over-exerted herself so soon after her con- 
valescence, and that the talk seemed to confuse her 
and make her dizzy. 

Going to marry old Lord Ambry ! The idea was 
disgusting. Hubert had not known how repulsive 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Ill 


the thought was until that evening. He felt his heart 
go out suddenly to the motherless girl, brought up 
a hoyden by force of circumstances, who was so full 
of spirit and dash and daring, and yet who loved her 
father and her brothers so well that she took her 
own sacrifice of herself for their benefit as a matter 
of course. 

Surely she was not well ! It seemed to him that 
as she sat at the table she drooped and grew paler. 
And at that moment her large grey eyes met his, 
and her face broke into a very sweet, faint smile. It 
was a smile that went straight to his head, or his 
heart, and Hubert felt that, in the hot room, he 
shivered. 

He glanced round at the rest. Nobody was taking 
any notice of her except himself. Even the faithful 
Luke, as much flushed and excited as the Brancepeth 
young men, was bowling out his opinion of the merits 
of a new light-weight boxer. Little Lady Maggie 
was occupied in gently begging her nephews not to 
drink too much, “as Lord Ambry was coming!’' 
Hubert thought the addition of a reason significant. 

Hubert was afraid that he was in for a long pen- 
ance at the table after the departure of the ladies. 
The dining-room, with its flaring candles and its low 
ceiling, was intensely hot, and its occupants were 
very boisterous. He was much relieved, therefore, 
when in a very few moments Radley proposed that 
they should adjourn to the drawing-room to play 
baccarat. 

It was evidently a favourite diversion with them, 
as the tables were arranged and the cloth spread in 


II2 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


a veiy short space of time. Then Athelstan and 
Quin might be seen wheedling their aunt for money 
to play with, while old Sir Giles gave some to his 
daughter, which she had to share with those two 
young men. Giles and Radley seemed to be better 
off, however ; and Luke glanced at them out of his 
eyes in a peculiar manner which Hubert noted and 
wondered at. 

Then they took their places, and the play began. 
For a long time things went smoothly enough, Giles 
being the banker. Hubert, who had thought they 
might be rather disagreeable people to play with, was 
delighted to find that he had done them an injustice. 

At last, however, Giles declared that he had lost 
too much to go on, and suggested that Hubert should 
be banker instead. To this Harry, however, who 
had been sitting very quietly and saying nothing, 
strenuously objected. Her objections were overruled 
by her brothers, one of whom, Radley, told her to 
shut up and not make herself disagreeable. 

Hubert, therefore, took over the bank, and the 
play began again. 

Now he had had his suspicions excited, so that he 
watched the cloth very narrowly. And before many 
deals were over it became patent to him that some 
of the party were not playing fairly. He was not 
surprised; and although he was disgusted, he pre- 
ferred being cheated to making a row about it. As 
soon as he was quite sure of what he had seen, there- 
fore, he announced that he should only deal once 
more, very quietly, without mentioning any reason 
and without betraying anything by his manner. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


II3 

But there was another pair of eyes on the watch, 
and the owner of these was not so reticent. Hubert 
was paying those who had won in the last deal, and 
drawing in the money of those who had lost. Pass- 
ing from one to the other, as he took them in order 
as they sat, Hubert came to Radley. 

How much ?” 

“ Sixteen shillings, please,” answered Radley, point- 
ing to the little pile in front of him. 

There was a little cry, and Harry sprang up. 
Bringing her hand down sharply on the table, she 
cried — 

You are cheating ! You have lost, and not won. 
You pushed it over the line.” 

There was consternation, a breathless pause, and 
then a hubbub. How dared she accuse him of such 
a thing ! She ought to be ashamed of herself! What 
did she mean by it ? Giles, who was of those who 
had sprung up, was seizing her roughly by the arm, 
when Hubert, suddenly interposing, struck his arm 
down. 

Take care, take care what you’re doing ! Re- 
member her broken arm !” cried he in a low voice. 

How dare she accuse us of cheating ?” 

Lady Maggie was trying to soothe the excited 
girl, but it was of no use. Against the great mirror 
over the low mantle-piece, with its row of reflected 
candles, her tall, dark-gowned figure stood out boldly 
in a haze of light. 

“ I do,” she repeated, clenching her hands, and 
facing boldly the frowns of her eldest brother. “ I 
accuse Radley, and you too. Tve watched you, and 
h 10* 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


1 14 

you both said you’d won when you lost. Mr. Besils, 
you saw them cheat, didn’t you ? Tell them what I 
say is true,” 

Everybody turned quickly to Hubert, and both 
Giles and Radley lost countenance a little. But 
Hubert, rising very quickly from his chair, put the 
end of his cigarette carefully into an ash-tray which 
stood on a table behind him, and said so calmly as 
to deceive them all — 

“ Miss Brancepeth is mistaken, I am sure.” 

Everybody was relieved except Harry, who 
snatched up the pack of cards from the table and 
dashed them into the fire. 

“ I will not have you cheated under my father’s 
roof,” said she, steadily, flashing upon him her grey 
eyes in a look which stirred him to his heart’s depths, 
“ even if you are willing to be cheated !” 

And, sweeping through the room with her head 
very erect, and refusing to touch Luke Standen’s 
meekly offered hand as she passed him, she left the 
drawing-room. 

There was no more baccarat that night. 

Amidst a confused din of scrappy and irrelevant 
small talk they all adjourned to the billiard-room 
where Luke and Quin Brancepeth began to play, 
while the others made small bets and smoked. 

As soon as he could, Hubert slipped away in 
search of Harry. 

The billiard-room was part of a forty-year- old addi- 
tion to the main building, and outside there ran a cor- 
ridor from which one other room opened. Hubert 
saw that the door of this second apartment was ajar, 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


II5 

SO he pushed it a little way and peeped in. A great, 
musty-smelling, bare room it looked in the faint 
light which came through the one large window 
from a stable-lamp outside. From two chandeliers 
there still hung faded festoons and roses of coloured 
paper, primitive and cheap decorations which told 
that this was the ball-room. 

It was not quite deserted though. By the window, 
which she had thrown open, Harry was standing. 
It seemed to Hubert, as he came quickly towards 
her, that she swayed and staggered as she stood. 

“ May I come in ? I have not frightened you, 
have I ?” said he, very gently as he saw her start. 

“ Oh, no. I — I — I am tired,” she said, rather 
snappishly. 

And then, just in time to be caught by his ready 
arm, she turned giddy, and found her limbs give 
way under her. 

“ It seems to be always you,” she said, putting her 
hand up to her head and trying to smile. 

“ When it ought always to be — somebody else ?” 
he said in a whisper. 

She trembled a little, but did not answer. And 
after a pause she said, sharply — 

“ Why didn’t you back me up just now? You 
know that Giles and Radley were cheating !” 

What ! And have a quarrel, a miserable, dis- 
graceful row over cards, in your presence and Lady 
Maggie’s ?” 

Harry was silent. Presently she said, “ I hadn’t 
thought of that. We’re not used to chivalry here, 
you see. But still, you were wrong.” An4 she 


Ii6 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Sprang erect again: “Will you go back with me 
now and confess you saw them cheat ? It will make 
them ashamed of themselves and do them both 
good.” 

“ No, I will not, Miss Brancepeth.” 

“ And if I insist ?” 

“ If you insist, I will go back with you, and I will 
say — just what I said before.” 

She walked away from him impatiently into the 
darkness. 

“ How obstinate you are !” 

He said nothing. He was beginning to feel that 
he must keep a strong guard upon his tongue when 
in the presence of this girl, who was now exerting 
over him a fascination which he found it impossible 
to resist. 

She came and stood in front of him again, close 
by the window, in the dim light of the lantern. Her 
face was full of excitement, and when she spoke, her 
voice was full of passionate earnestness — 

“ Go away,” said she, suddenly, looking at him 
with strange intensity, and pressing her hands 
against her breast. “ I want you to go away. I 
don’t want you to come here any more ; I don’t want 
to see you any more. You come out of a world 
that I want to forget, where people are honest, and 
men are courteous, and women are kind. I don’t 
want to remember anything about that world ; I have 
to live in a different one. Say good-bye now, and 
promise never to speak to me again.” 

She held out her hand impulsively ; and Hubert, 
thrilled by the touch, clasped her fingers in a strong, 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


II7 

warm grip. Words such as he had never spoken to 
a woman before, were coming to his stammering 
tongue, when a sharp, thin masculine voice, refined, 
cold, and imperious, made them both start. 

“ And where is Harrington ?” 

At the same moment the door of the room was 
thrown noisely open by one of the boys, who, first 
starting the echoes with a loud view-halloo !” an- 
nounced, in stentorian tones — 

“ Lord Ambry 1” 


CHAPTER XII. 

At the first sound of her fiance's voice Harry had 
sharply withdrawn her hand from Hubert’s grasp.' 

Quin, who was ushering him into the dark ball- 
room, cried out, with the delicate tact of seventeen — 

** Here she is. Lord Ambry. She’s afraid of the 
dark, so she’s got Mr. Besils with her to frighten 
away the bogies.” 

Idiot I” said his sister, as she ran forward and held 
out her hand. Even bogies are shy of a place with 
you boys in it. Mr. Besils came in to shut the window 
for me.” 

They were all by this time in the wide passage 
outside, which was carpeted with cocoa-nut matting, 
lighted by several hall-lamps hung from the ceiling, 
and furnished with wicker chairs upholstered in 
striped-grass matting. 

” Shutting the window !” echoed Lord Ambry, who 
was a small, slight, well-preserved man, with an aqui- 


ii8 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


line face, which was very withered, lined, and dry, a 
moustache which was dyed a pleasing shade of brown, 
and a suspicion of pink on his cheeks which was prob- 
ably not there until he had made his morning toilet. 
He had the good sense not to wear a wig, but his care- 
fully dyed hair, grown long and plastered down in an 
artistic fashion over the crown, emphasised, rather 
than concealed, his baldness. The cut of his clothes 
was rather youthful, but his voice from time to time 
betrayed his full age, which was between sixty and 
seventy. “ Rather rash, was it not, my dear, to sit 
by an open window on a cold night like this, when 
you are hardly strong again yet after your acci- 
dent ?” 

And as he took her offered hand in his he drew 
her gently towards him and kissed her cheek. 

Hubert felt that he should have liked to strangle 
the man. He was sufficiently keen of perception to 
know that there was an implied triumph over him- 
self in the kiss. Lord Ambry must have heard of 
the share Hubert Besils had had in the occurrences 
of the night of Harry’s accident, and he was jealous 
of the younger man. 

Oh,” replied Harry, who had been passive, but 
not responsive, to the caress, the rooms were so hot, 
and it was only for a moment. Let me introduce 
Mr. Besils ; you know he saved my life and set my 
arm,” she went on, rather hurriedly. And, without 
raising her eyes to Hubert’s face, she turned towards 
him and said, Mr. Besils — Lord Ambry.” 

The two men bowed, but neither offered his hand. 
And Lord Ambry, although he was obliged to thank 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


II9 

the person who had saved the life of his chosen wife, 
he did so in such a ceremonious manner as to be 
hardly civil. He then offered Harry his arm, and 
led her back through the narrow passage into the 
hall of the main building, and thence into the draw- 
ing-room. And, with the reasonable excuse that he 
had not seen her for a long time, and that he had 
been detained so that he could only have an hour in 
her society, Lord Ambry monopolised Harry for the 
remainder of the evening. When Hubert took his 
leave he was prevented, by Lord Ambry’s manoeu- 
vring, from exchanging a few words alone with 
Harry. He felt irritated, disappointed, angry, not 
understanding a peculiar look which the girl had 
given him as he shook hands. 

When, therefore, he had entered the Vicarage gar- 
den, after bidding good-night to Luke Standen, who 
had left him at his gate, he was rather startled, there- 
fore, to hear a long, low whistle from the orchard 
behind the house. He stopped and listened. The 
whistle was repeated twice. Deciding that this must 
be a burglar’s signal, Hubert let himself into the 
house with his key, provided himself with a thick 
walking-stick, and went out again in the direction 
from whence he supposed the signal had come. 

Yes, there was certainly some one on the other 
side of the hedge — some one whom, to judge by the 
cracking of the twigs, must be getting impatient and 
trying to effect an entrance. So he approached 
stealthily, and was in the act of raising his stick to 
bring it down on the intruder’s head, when Harry 
sprang erect behind the hedge, whispering — 


120 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


*‘Stop! It’s me!” 

“I might have known it!” murmured Hubert, 
despairingly, as he dropped his arm. 

“Yes,” rejoined the young lady, imperturbably; 
“ whenever there’s any mischief abroad, you might 
be quite sure one of us is at the bottom of it. Why, 
you ungrateful wretch, you ought to be thanking 
your stars that I’m not insido . !” 

Hubert, who was in a strange tumult of feeling, 
tried to speak harshly, though in his heart he was 
yearning for another touch of the hand that had held 
his in such a warm clasp a couple of hours ago. 

“ What are you thinking about, to face such risks 
as you do ? Isn’t Lord Ambry still at the place ?” 

“ Oh, yes ; he’s staying all night. Ugh ! Don’t 
let’s talk about him !” 

“But that’s just what we must do. You must 
talk about him, and you must think about him. 
You can’t shuffle that off until you’re married ” 

Harry thrust out her left hand menacingly. 

“ That’s just what I intend to do, and it’s of no use, 
as you know, to try to make me do anything but 
what I choose.” 

“You forget,” said Hubert, who was getting indis- 
creet in his turn under the influence of her pres- 
ence, “that I succeeded — once in making you do 
what I chose.” 

“You mean,” replied Harry, in a gentle voice, “on 
the night I broke my arm ?” 

“Yes. You wouldn’t do this and you wouldn’t 
do that. You wouldn’t take the brandy and you 
wouldn’t let me help you. But you had to give in. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


I2I 


and be obedient and submissive, just like a little 
child.” 

There was a short pause. He heard the cracking 
of the little twigs in her fingers. 

Then she said, softly and without apparent dis- 
pleasure, ‘^Yes, so you did. You made me do just 
what you chose then. But do you go so far as to 
think you could always ?” 

Hubert did not immediately answer. The girl’s 
young voice, with its new modulations of feeling, 
had a charm which intoxicated him. He had to 
restrain himself, to think, to pause, before every 
word. At last he said, quite harshly — 

If I could, I would make you run indoors now 
as fast as you could, and make up your mind never 
to do any more such foolish things again as long as 
you lived.” 

** What foolish things ? Coming out Here to-night ?’* 
Yes, yes.” 

** Well, if you don’t want to talk to me, go in- 
doors.” 

Much against his will, Hubert had to laugh. She 
was delighted. 

“There,” she cried, “you pretend you want to 
get rid of me, and all the while you don’t. You are 
not honest, Mr. Besils.” 

“ I am honest when I tell you that it is terrible to 
me to see a charming young girl taking no more 
thought than you do for her reputation.” 

It went much against the grain with Hubert to 
have to say this, but as she had moments of docility 
this evening, he cherished a hope that his words 


122 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


might have some effect. He had not guessed, how- 
ever, how strong the effect would be. 

The words were hardly out of his mouth when 
the answer came like a whirlwind — 

Reputation ! What does my reputation matter 
now that I am going to marry that man ? As long 
as he doesn’t know, I don’t care what I do ; and 
when I am once married to him I shall care less. 
You don’t think I am marrying him because I like 
him, do you ?” 

“Then you ought not to marry him. The very 
prospect is doing you harm already. It is awful — 
to hear you talk like this !” 

For answer she laughed scornfully. 

“ Why, how would you expect an odious girl to 
talk but in an odious way ?” she asked, mockingly. 
“ Have you forgotten what you called me, how you 
treated me, when you first came ? How you said I 
was cowardly, odious — I heard you say it to your 
sister — and how you boxed my ears ?” 

In truth, he had forgotten it very thoroughly. This 
taunt made him pause. He perceived suddenly that 
tbe change was not only in his own feelings ; it was 
in the girl herself. The hoyden had been the outer 
case; there was a warm, fresh girlish heart under- 
neath, which circumstances had laid bare to him. 
As he did not answer, the girl herself went on, after 
a short pause, in a gentle tone — 

“ Never mind. I deserved it, of course. You may 
box my ears again if you like — now.” 

“You — you deserve it,” said Hubert, in a low 
voice, not very steadily, “ for — for coming out here.” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


123 


** But I wanted to see you, and Lord Ambry doesn’t 
approve of you, and wishes me to ‘ drop the acquaint- 
ance.’ He says so. So, if you want to see me at 
all, you must just see me when I have the oppor- 
tunity, when he doesn’t know anything about it.” 

Then, Miss Brancepeth, I have no choice but not 
to see you at all.” 

“ Do you mean that ?” 

** Certainly. You are going to marry Lord Ambry; 
therefore he has the right to forbid any acquaintance 
for you that he disapproves.” 

Luke Standen is not so particular. He is going 
to see m.e just the same.” There was a pause, and 
then she went on, in a hurt tone, “ Of course, then, 
since you don’t wish to know me any longer ” 

“ I did not say that.” 

“Well, since you will not know me any longer, 
you will not be interested to hear that I am in a 
terrible difficulty.” 

“ What is it?” 

“ Lord Ambry gave me some jewelry in the sum- 
mer, and he says I’m to wear it at the Infirmary Ball.” 

“ Well ?” 

“ Well, well, I can’t. I haven’t got it.” 

“ Tell him so, then.” 

“ I daren’t.” 

“Where is it?” asked Hubert, who knew already. 

“ It’s been pawned,' said Harry, in a whisper. 

“ By your brothers. Tell them they must get it 
back for you.” 

“ But they can’t. You might as well ask a rag- 
picker for a bagful of diamonds.” 


124 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Well, shall I r 

“ Oh, would you ? I can pay you back as soon as 
I am married, you know.” 

“You will have to get me the — the documents, 
you know.” 

“You mean the tickets? I will. I’ll pick Giles’s 
pockets. It’s no use asking him ; he’d put me off 
and sell them for a little more money.” 

“ And now you must go back home. And, mind, 
you are never to do anything like this again.” 

“ All right. But how am I to give you — the docu- 
ments ? While Lord Ambry’s staying here — and 
he’ll be here till after the ball — I shan’t be allowed 
to see you, I’m quite sure.” 

“ There’s the penny post.” 

“ Quite true. And I can just write. I can’t spell, 
though. You won’t mind that ?” 

“ I’ll look over it. Good-night.” 

“ Good-night.” 

She held out her hand, and he was shocked to find 
how cold it was. 

He prophesied that she would have a bad cold on 
the following day ; and, indeed, as she answered him 
her teeth began to chatter and her body to shake. 
She had come out through the thick grass of the 
orchards in her thin kid shoes, with only a little silk 
shawl wrapped round her shoulders. 

Yet she did not hurry indoors now as she ought 
to have done, but went slowly, dragging her feet 
unwillingly after her, and stopping from time to time 
to look back over her shoulder into the darkness of 
the Vicarage garden. And as she drew near to the 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


125 


old walls of Culverley Place, and vaulted over the 
railings on to the lawn, she shuddered, not with the 
cold, but with a new feeling of distaste and disgust, 
as she glanced up at the windows of the spare room. 

A wilful, spoilt creature she was, this victim of 
neglect and improper training. But there was no 
wickedness in her ; with a heart as free and a mind 
as innocent as a child’s, she had accepted as a matter 
of course the husband who could avert the family 
ruin. And it was not until the first faint stirrings of 
an emotion she did not understand made themselves 
felt in her breast that the thought of her future hus- 
band moved her with a sudden, strong sense of repul- 
sion, and she realised that she was to make a sacri- 
fice. 

As for Hubert, he was neither so young nor so 
guileless as the girl, and he could not disguise the 
change which had taken place in his feelings towards 
her. He knew that he was in love with this wilful, 
wild little person, and he told himself plainly that if 
she had been free he should have been compelled to 
experience a great struggle between his heart and 
his mind. For, however easy it might be to per- 
suade oneself that a woman may be moulded by the 
hand of affection, it was certain that that hand would 
find it impossible to mould the woman’s brothers ; 
and the young Brancepeths might be reckoned upon 
not to spare either the purse, the credit, or the feel- 
ings of a rich brother-in-law. 

On the whole, Hubert, while he felt that his heart 
yearned to the impulsive young girl, told himself 
that he was glad the temptation to marry her was 

II* 


126 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


out of his reach. And yet — and yet ^ He 

smoked a great many cigars before he could com- 
pose himself for sleep that night. 

It was on the following morning that the Vicar, 
who had just gone into his study after breakfast to 
make some notes for his Sunday’s sermon, was startled 
by a thundering knock at the front door, such a 
knock as threatened to bring that rather frail and 
unpretending structure down into the hall. 

But the start he gave was nothing to the bound 
with which he sprang up in his chair when Edith, 
his third daughter, came in to announce, with an ex- 
pression of mild horror on her fair, freckled face, that 
Athelstan Brancepeth, the especial black sheep of the 
Vicar’s aversion, wanted to see him. 

“ Wants to see me !” echoed Mr. Griffith, who was 
a tall, thin man with a perpetual stoop, and a look 
in his eyes as of a man who saw in every envelope a 
bill, and in every visitor a collector of taxes. 

“Yes, papa, he said so,” answered his daughter, as 
if herself doubting whether she had heard aright. 

“Oh — oh — oh, well, let him come in,” said the 
Vicar, with a worried frown. 

It was the first time that a Brancepeth had called 
upon him, and such a visit seemed portentous. 

When, however, the dreaded visitor made his ap- 
pearance in the study, it was with a manner so dif- 
ferent from that which his loud knock had prepared 
Mr. Griffith for, that the Vicar looked at him in un- 
easy amazement. Was this one of the dashing, the 
devil-may-care Brancepeths, this tall, shy, blushing 
young man, who hung his head more like a school- 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


127 


boy sent up to be caned than a full-grown morning 
caller ? 

He did not offer to shake hands, but flung himself 
at once into the subject of his visit. 

‘‘ IVe come, Mr. Griffith, to say Tm sorry I hurt 
your pear-tree, and I’ve come to pay the damage.” 

And he thrust his hand into his pocket and drew 
out a handful of money. 

The Vicar sighed. The sight of money always 
made him want to sigh. It was such a welcome ob- 
ject, and it disappeared so quickly. 

“ The pears belonged to one of my daughters,” 
said he, stiffly. 

“ Oh, I know,” interrupted Athelstan. ** To Miss 
K-Kathleen. She would have sold them for her 
pocket-money. How much would it have been ?” 

“ She expected to make about two pounds,” an- 
swered the Vicar, severely. 

“ I’ve got it !” cried Athelstan, triumphantly, as he 
put down a sovereign on the writing-table and began 
to count out his silver. “ I’ve got it. There it is 
exactly.” 

It left him with one and fourpence, which he put 
back in his pocket, as he looked up at the Vicar with 
a countenance which even that austere gentleman 
thought open and prepossessing in its frank enjoy- 
ment. He even hesitated a moment before quench- 
ing the young fellow’s honest delight. 

“ I am sorry to have to put such a question, but I 
am compelled to ask you how you got this money ? 
Whether it was by betting, or gambling, I mean ?” 

It was at baccarat last night,” answered Athelstan. 


128 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


It isn’t often that I have luck to win, but I did for 
once, in a way.” 

“ Then I’m sorry that I cannot take the money.” 

Athelstan grew hot and crimson. He stared, he 
stammered; he was miserable, ashamed, indignant, 
all at once. 

I played fair,” said he, shortly. ** I did, word of 
honour. I always do. Ask any of them, and they’ll 
tell you so. Ask Mr. Besils, who saw all the row ’* 

He stopped short suddenly, perceiving by the 
change in the Vicar’s expression that he was telling 
more than that gentleman knew. But the Vicar was 
not surprised. 

‘‘The row!” he repeated, with dignity. “You 
must see, Mr. Brancepeth, that it would not do for 
me, a clergyman, to take money which had been won 
by gambling in such ” 

He was about to add “ in such a house as yours,” 
but checked himself in time. Athelstan stood trying 
to dig holes in his boot with the end of his hunting- 
crop, dumb with emotions which were salutary but 
not pleasant. There was a short silence, during 
which the Vicar looked at him with some gentle 
surprise and satisfaction at finding some signs of 
grace in a Brancepeth. Then Athelstan jerked his 
head up suddenly. 

“ May she take the money,” asked he, with an 
earnestness which was rather touching, “ if I sell 
some of my things to get it ?” As the Vicar hesi- 
tated, the young man pressed the point with still 
more fervour. “You know, Mr. Griffith, you your- 
self read something about the sinner that repenteth, 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


129 


don’t you ? Well, you ought to give the sinner the 
chance of showing his repentance, oughtn’t you ?” 

A little smile, promising for Athelstan, began to 
quiver round the Vicar’s drawn mouth. At last he 
said, magisterially — 

Mind, it must be real repentance, not sham. 
You must bring the money to me, not to my daugh- 
ter ; and you must not make it a pretext for com- 
municating with her. For that I forbid.” 

The conditions were rather hard, certainly; but 
Athelstan accepted them even with eagerness. He 
said, with the simplicity and straightforwardness 
which he had shown throughout the interview — 

I want her to have her money, anyhow. I’m 
awfully ashamed of what I did, and I’m very much 
obliged to you for letting me make some amends.” 

He rode straight into Fernsham, and sold his 
watch and his breast-pin ; and he left the money at 
Mr. Griffith’s house in an envelope on his way back. 
And he spent the rest of the day in certain unaccus- 
tomed reflections on the inconvenience it entailed to 
have a standard of morals and conduct so different 
to that accepted by the world outside Culverley 
Place. Athelstan was as rough, as reckless, and as 
thriftless as his brothers, but he had some good 
points which they had not, and among these was a 
rudimentary conscience, which had pricked him more 
severely than of yore since he had felt the barriers 
which the conduct of himself and his family placed 
between him and the Vicar’s pretty daughter Kath- 
leen. 

He saw her that very afternoon ; but she was dis- 


130 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


creet, and kept her head in the opposite direction 
until all fear of a meeting of eyes between her and 
Athelstan was passed. He felt hardly used, but still 
he cherished enough interest in the cruel fair one to 
experience intense excitement when, on the following 
day, he saw her in Fernsham shopping with two of 
her sisters. 

It was not too much to hope for that she was 
spending his money. She certainly looked radiant, 
and prettier than he had ever seen her look be- 
fore. He could not tear himself from the town, 
although his business in it was done, while she re- 
mained. So he gave his horse into the charge of a 
boy, and hovered about the shop-windows until he 
saw the three girls, who were by no means so ignorant 
of his proximity as they pretended to be, enter the 
principal draper’s shop in the town. 

He felt conscious that he was making himself 
ridiculous by flattening his nose against the panes 
of a large window full of tarlatan skirts, feather boas, 
and festoons of ribbon ; but he did not care. He 
must know what Kathleen had been buying. 

By the time the three girls were inside he thought 
they must be buying the entire stock. He would 
have thought they must have slipped out by some 
side door unknown to the unenlightened male if he 
had not managed from time to time to get a peep at 
the three heads, all bending together over the treas- 
ures which the shopman was displaying. 

The lamps were all alight when they at last came 
out : and then, whether by accident or design he did 
not dare to think, Kathleen lagged for a moment 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


13I 

behind her sisters. It was not difficult for Athelstan, 
under cover of the darkness, to stoop suddenly until 
his head was on the same level as hers. 

“ What have you been buying?” he asked, in an 
excited, peremptory whisper. 

“ Muslin,” replied she as briefly as possible, in the 
same low tone. 

But then she unbent just so far as to throw at 
him one quick glance, full of gratitude and pleasure 
and modest, maidenly good will. 

Then he grew bold, and snatching her hand, 
squeezed the poor little fingers up in a bear’s grip. 

“ I shall come to church on Sunday,” he whispered. 

But she shot at him a glance of demure horror and 
surprise and ran after her sisters, who had not once 
turned round to look for her. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

The end of the week before that of the Infirmary 
Ball had come, and yet Hubert had received no com- 
munication from Harry. 

Although he told himself a hundred times a day 
that he was very glad, as it relieved him from an 
awkward complication, he knew in his heart of hearts 
that he was nothing of the kind. He thought of 
very little else but that girl, and when he met her 
out riding with Lord Ambry, and saw how dutifully 
she kept her head turned away from him, he began 
to be sorry that she had been so docile to his own 


132 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


teaching. He had told her that she ought to cut 
those acquaintances whom Lord Ambry disapproved 
of, and she had retorted by making him the first 
victim. 

It was astonishing how dull the place had become, 
and yet he found himself by no means anxious for 
the arrival of his sister, who had promised to return 
in time to take Kathleen to the ball. 

And then he heard in the village that Lord Ambry 
had been called away suddenly for a few days, and 
that he would not return until the night of the ball. 

Hubert walked back towards the Vicarage with a 
lighter heart when he had heard this, for he had an in- 
stinct that he should meet Harry before long. And 
as she was sure to be on horseback, he ordered the 
brown mare to be saddled and brought round. This 
was his real reason, but he did not own it to himself. 
On the contrary, when Harry rode by alone, while 
he was putting on his gloves at the gate, he turned 
his head away, affecting to think she would cut him 
as usual. 

He heard her horse stop. 

“ Fm going a long way to-day,” he heard her say, 
in a voice so low as to be almost a whisper. “ Right 
down to the sea by Sandhythe. I shall be all by 
myself unless ” 

He had turned to her by this time and met her 
eyes. 

He raised his hat in a distant manner. 

‘‘Oh, of course,” said she, as she touched her 
horse with her whip and looked steadily at his ears, 
“ I am not afraid of riding by myself.” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


133 


She did not wait for a reply, but rode away. Hubert 
was touched to the quick by the paleness of her 
cheeks, the sadness in her eyes. When the mare 
was brought round, he debated with himself whether 
he should accept her implied invitation and follow 
her down to the sea by Sandhythe.” He knew 
he had better not ; but the temptation was too strong 
for him. 

Perhaps piqued that he had not accepted her offer 
more promptly, the young lady, who had a good 
start, took a road he did not know ; and it was not 
until he had gone six or seven miles, and had reached 
the flat, dreary sea-shore, with its fringe of mud, that 
he saw Harry a little way in front of him, resting in 
her saddle, looking out at the grey water. 

Why didn’t you wait for me ?” asked he, as he 
came out. 

Because I thought you didn’t want to come.” 

Did you think that, honestly ?” ^ 

No answer. It suddenly struck her as very strange 
that he and she should be side by side, silent, as if 
they were old friends. 

“ Why don’t you talk ?” said she. You ought to 
talk to me. You haven’t known me long enough to 
be silent.” 

I spoke last. I asked you a question and you 
did not answer. Fll ask you another. Aren’t you 
cold standing here in this windy place ?” 

She shook her reins and rode on a little way, 
pointing with her whip to a little tumbledown struct- 
ure which looked only like some sort of excrescence 
on the colourless mud. 


12 


134 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


*'Doyou see’ that hut?” she said. “ I passed it 
coming along, and I am going to ask the old dame 
who was hanging out her washing outside whether 
she’ll give me a cup of tea. You may come, too, if 
you like, and pay for it. For of course I haven’t 
any money. But you shall have that back, too, when 
I’m Lady Ambry.” 

What a difference there was in the girl’s manner 
of alluding to her marriage ! She spoke now with 
decision, like a much older woman. Hubert, who 
was astonished to find the effect her presence had 
upon him after the two weeks of separation, won- 
dered what the girl’s thoughts had been during her 
fiayice's stay. He made up his mind to ask her. 

But at that moment they arrived at their destina- 
tion, which proved to be a small lonely cottage, in 
front of which was placed a board, supported on two 
barrels, displaying half a dozen stone bottles of gin- 
ger-beer and a bottle of sweets. The proprietress of 
this emporium was at her door, tying on a rusty 
bonnet. She looked at her would-be customers with 
annoyance rather than with welcome. 

“ An’ I was just a-goin’ into the town to get a few 
things in,” she grumbled, the rough, unpleasant 
Kentish accent sounding very strongly in her words. 
“ But there, that’s always the way.” 

Hubert would have gone on in search of some 
more hospitable roof, but Harry was obstinately bent 
on punishing the woman for her discourtesy. So she 
dismounted and entered the cottage, while Hubert 
tied the horses up in a shed on the opposite side of 
the road, where a dozen fowls were running about 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


135 


When he, in his turn, entered the cottage, he found 
Harry already seated in a broken-down horsehair- 
covered arm-chair by the fire, warming her hands. 
The room, which was tiled and uncarpeted, except 
for a rug on the hearth, was evidently kitchen and 
living-room as well. It was barely furnished, but was 
clean and homely. The old woman having gone 
away, grumbling, to fill the kettle, Harry shrugged 
her shoulders and laughed. 

‘‘ We shall have hard work entertaining our good 
hostess,” she said. “ But I mean to succeed. By the 
time we leave her she shall love me !” 

The old woman, however, 'avoided her blandish- 
ments in an unexpected manner. When she re-en- 
tered the room she had a shawl round her shoulders. 
Placing the kettle on the fire, she went straight to 
the front door, opened it, and, standing half in and 
half outside, addressed her unwelcome guests thus: 

You’ll find tea and sugar and all you want in the 
cupboard yonder.” And she nodded towards the 
corner behind Harry. So now you’ve got all you 
want. My old man will be back from the fields in a 
minute or two, and you can give him a shilling for 
the tea. And mind, if the door opens, to keep the 
fowls out.” 

And without any more ceremonious leave-taking 
she slammed the door and started to do her errands 
in the town, leaving them in sole possession. 

Hubert and Harry stared at each other in amaze- 
ment. 

” The old girl’s not a bad sort, after all, to trust 
strangers like that!” said Hubert. 


136 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


“ It’s evident the Brancepeths are not known about 
here,” was Harry’s comment. 

Then they sat by the fire and watched the kettle 
in silence. 

At last the girl broke out into a little cry of 
pleasure. 

“ Are you enjoying this queer picnic as much as I 
am ?” she suddenly asked. 

“ Quite.” 

“ No, you’re not. You can’t be. Because you 
aren’t going to have to marry some one you don’t 
like.” 

She had all in one breath past from hilarity to 
seriousness. Hubert answered without looking up. 

You have changed your tone, I think, since we 
last discussed the subject ?” 

Harry glanced at him quickly, with a little blush 
rising in her face. 

“ Perhaps I have. I don’t know. I don’t remem- 
ber. I’m sure I never said I liked him.” 

‘*No. But — I don’t think you spoke quite so 
strongly.” 

She sprang up, threw open the cupboard in the 
corner, and got out two cups and saucers. Then 
there was a hunt for the tea and sugar, which were 
discovered at last in stone salt-jars, which she placed 
on the table. Hubert watched her anxious and un- 
accustomed movements as she insisted on handling 
the heavy kettle by herself, and he was tenderly 
amused to see how well the occupation became the 
amazon. 

“ Why,” said he, as he took his cup from her 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


137 


hands, "'you said you didn’t believe in love in a 
cottage, and yet ” 

He stopped short, for something in his words had 
made her start and tremble. When she spoke, it was 
in a low voice, and in a quiet, dreamy tone. 

I didn’t know anything about cottages, that was 
what I said.” 

Nor about love? You said you knew nothing 
about that, either.” 

She said nothing to this, but sat down in her 
rickety chair and sipped her tea. The clock ticked 
on, very loud in the silence. The sound of the 
waves rolling in as the tide came up could be heard, 
and the whistling of the wind round the cottage. It 
was so dark now outside that that part of her face 
which was not in the red glow of the fire was in black 
shadow. Hubert, by an impulse he could not resist, 
called her softly by her nickname — 

» Harry !” 

She did not look up at him, but he saw a shiver 
pass over her, and a faint smile come into her face. 

“ Harry !” he called again. Still she would not 
look at him. So he slid down from his seat on to 
his knees, and looked up into her face. “ Wouldn’t 
you like to know something about love, Harry ?” 

The tears sprang to her eyes. It was with an ab- 
rupt change to her old impatience and recklessness 
that she cried, “ You always try to make me cry!” 

She thrust out her hand to repulse him, but when 
he seized it, she let her fingers rest in his without a 
struggle. 

“ Look here, child,” he went on, in a voice which 

12* 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


138 

made her tremble, thrilled by his passionate tender- 
ness, “ it is not too late. If there were the slightest 
chance that you could be happy with that man, God 
knows I would cut off my right hand rather than 
speak to you like this ! But there is not. You are 
being sold, bought and sold, without a voice in the 
horrible bargain.” 

You mustn’t say that. You mustn’t say that. I 
have given my word,” whispered she, in a paroxysm 
of fear, as again she tried to push him away. 

*^You gave it without knowing what you were 
doing. Without understanding that there might be 
some things, the most precious things to a pure, good 
woman, that you were losing beyond recall. Harry, 
you say you have been thinking during this last 
fortnight. Tell me, child, what have you been think- 
ing about ?” 

“ Oh, I can’t, I can’t. I have been miserable.” 

Because of your approaching marriage ?” 

A shudder was her answer. 

“ And, Harry” — his voice was in her ear — “ would 
you have been so miserable — if you had been going 
to marry — me ?” 

She suddenly broke away from him and stood 
erect. 

“ No !” she cried, passionately. “ You ought not 
to ask me. You know I shouldn’t.” 

“ Then marry me, Harry. They will let you. I 
am rich, too. And I love you with all my soul !” 

But the girl shook her head. 

If you were not rich, or if I didn’t care for you,” 
she answered, softly, ” I would marry you to-morrow. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


139 


Even if I didn’t love you, I would a million times 
rather have you for my husband than — than him / 
But just because I do care for you, very, very much, 
I will not be your wife, and give you my brothers 
for your brothers-in-law ! So now you are answered, 
and you must not speak to me about it any more. 
Come, get the horses, and let us be off home !” 

Love had endowed the hoyden with dignity as 
well as gentleness. Hubert obeyed her without a 
word, helped her into her saddle with just one look 
as her foot rested for an instant in his hand ; then 
they began their ride home across the flat, windy 
marshes, with something in their hearts which made 
them insensible to the cold blast and to the drizzling 
rain which had begun to fall. 


CHAPTER XIV. 

There was an excitement, an exhilaration about 
this long ride home to Culverley which stirred the 
blood of both Hubert Besils and Harry, as, with 
their faces to the cutting wind, they galloped over 
the flat waste of barren, sandy sea-shore, with the 
salt spray on their cheeks and in their hair. 

Both knew that this ride together was a contra- 
band pleasure, and one they were not likely to enjoy 
again. For Harry’s answer to her lover’s pleading 
had not been the “ No” of the hesitating maiden who 
means '' Yes” ; and Hubert, while he felt his heart 
leap up at her simple confession of love for himself, 


140 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


knew that the girl’s masculine training had given her 
at least a strength and decision of character which 
almost forbade him to hope to change her mind. 

Still, it was not in his nature to fail to make the 
attempt. 

“ Harry,” said he, putting his hand lightly on her 
rein, when they had left the sandy heath for the road, 
and had let their horses gallop subside into a trot, 
do you think I’m going to take such an answer as 
that, eh ?” 

She was silent. 

** You say you don’t care for Ambry; you do care 
for me ! Then why on earth won’t you have me ? 
If I will take you, brothers and all, isn’t that my 
lookout ?” 

Not more than it is mine. There are plenty of 
bad things about the Brancepeths, but there are some 
good ones, too. I am too proud to do some things.” 

What things ?” 

Why do you ask me to tell you what you know ? 
That if you were to marry me you would never have 
any peace ; that you would be worried every day and 
all day long, with appeals from my impecunious 
brothers. How should I feel, knowing what was 
going on ? And how should I like to know that 
your sister was going about telling everybody what 
a dreadful marriage you had made, and how greatly 
you were to be pitied !” 

“ Well, but won’t all these tragic things happen 
just the same if you marry Ambry?” 

She turned round quickly, with such a tender look 
in her childlike grey eyes that Hubert felt the blood 


A SPOILT GIRL, I4I 

rush to his head, and a passionate longing to hold 
her in his arms seized him. 

“ Ah !” she said in a low voice, I can bear that, 
though, because I don’t care for him. It would 
break my heart to think that I had brought misery 
and wretchedness upon you !'' 

My darling !” The words escaped from his lips 
against his will, as he took her hand in his own and 
pressed his lips to the little bit of bare wrist he could 
find under the cuff of her habit. 

She did not try to withdraw her hand, but sighing, 
she said — 

“ This is the last time you may say that to me. 
Lord Ambry has heard something, and he is jealous 
of you. I am not even to dance with you at the ball 
next week.” 

“ By-the-bye, what about the jewelry ? Have you 
got the — the documents ?” 

She laughed and blushed, put her hand to her 
watch-pocket, and took it away again. 

I am ashamed ” she whispered. 

“ I’ll hold out my hand, then, and look the other 
way. And you shall put your hand out, also look- 
ing the other way. And so ” 

“ And so we shall both ride into the ditch,” added 
Harry. 

“ Never mind. We shall have spared our feel- 
ings ; and, by the time we get home, a little mud 
more or less won’t matter. Come, I’m looking 
away, and I’m waiting.” 

Laughing again, Harry handed the folded enve- 
lope she was carrying. 


142 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


“ It’s all right. I didn’t see ; I give you my 
word,” said he, as he put the envelope into his 
pocket-book. “And now, how am I to give you 
these things back, if I am not to see you ?” 

“ Oh, you’ll find some way,” said Harry, confi- 
dently. “ And mind, it will be of no use to send them, 
because Giles or Radley would get hold of them 
again, and th*ey would never reach me at all then.” 

“ But don’t they understand what that is ?” said 
Hubert, impatiently. “ It’s theft.” 

“ They don’t care what it is so long as they get 
the money,” said Harry, sagely. “ Lord Ambry has 
promised to give me a necklace worth three thou- 
sand pounds for a Christmas present; one that be- 
longed to his first wife, I think. And he told me 
about it when the boys were there : wasn’t it silly ? 
I saw Radley look at Giles directly. He’s going to 
bring it when he comes to the ball. And of 
course,” she added philosophically, “ I shall not be 
allowed to take it home.” 

Hubert made no comment aloud. Harry, after a 
short silence, said, gently — 

“You see I was right. You will be very glad 
some., day that I wouldn’t marry you, even if you 
are not now.” He had begun to protest, when she 
cut him short by striking the brown mare he rode 
with her whip. “ Come, ride on, instead of per- 
juring thyself!” she cried, gaily. “Don’t let’s pre- 
tend we’re going to be miserable for the rest of our 
lives just because I have sense enough to stop you 
from indulging in a foolish caprice. You see I can 
look at the matter soberly, even if you can’t.” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


143 


And so she allowed him neither protest nor 
prayer, but gave him hard work to keep up with 
her until they arrived, mud- splashed, heated, and 
still full of intense excitement which gave them no 
rumours yet for the aching pain of separation, at the 
village of Culverley. 

Harry pulled up her horse before they reached 
the gates of the Place and held out her hand. 

“ Good-bye,” was all she said. 

But there was in her face so much sweetness, in 
her voice and in the touch of her ungloved hand so 
much feeling, that Hubert was seized with a desire 
more passionate than ever to make this girl his wife, 
with all the obstacles to their happiness which he 
saw himself as plainly as she did. 

The Infirmary Ball was a great event in the quiet 
neighbourhood, and most of the young girls were 
building fairy erections of romance and of pleasure 
about that most glorious evening of the year. 
Athelstan, when he passed Mr. Griffith’s house, 
could see, by craning his neck a little, the billows of 
white muslin which rose on the dining-room table 
day after day, and he wished that he could find 
another excuse for a call. 

Unluckily for him, however, the relations between 
Culverley Place and the Vicar’s were always too 
strained for any attention of this sort to pass with- 
out comment. But he was determined to have a 
few words with Kathleen before the night of the 
ball ; and, as he found it impossible to penetrate the 
body-guard of sisters who surrounded her on her 
way to and from church on Sunday, he waited for 


144 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


her one evening at the church-porch, when the chil- 
dren were going in for choir-practice. 

For it was Kathleen who trained the choir. 

She came up so quietly, and hurried into the 
building so fast, that he had only time to raise his 
hat without saying a single word. But he followed 
her in, and took a seat in the unlighted part of the 
church without exciting any remark, without, indeed, 
having his presence noted except by Kathleen, 
whose voice betrayed that she w'as nervous and un- 
comfortable when she began her address to the 
choir. 

“ Now I am very sorry to say,” she began, as she 
took her seat at the organ, *‘that we shall have to 
give up the anthem for Christmas, because we can’t 
get a bass. John Tustain’s son has had to give it 
up, for the doctor says he mustn’t go out again at 
night for another month, and we can’t practise in the 
daytime, because none of you can come then.” 

There was a chorus of lamentations. At Middle- 
forth they were going to do an anthem, and Cul- 
verley didn’t like being cut out” by its little neigh- 
bour. 

Wasn’t there anybody they could get to fill John 
Tustain’s place? 

Kathleen was just assuring them, with as much 
regret as they could express themselves, that there 
was nobody available, when a loud, clanking step on 
the stone floor made her look up with a loudly beat- 
ing heart. 

beg your pardon. Miss Griffith,” said a gruff 
voice, which made all the members of the choir look 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


145 


round in a startled manner, “ but IVe got a bass 
voice. If I could be any good, and if it wouldn’t be 
too hard to knock it into me, I’d sing the bass part.” 

Poor Kathleen was filled, not with gratitude, but 
with consternation. She knew very well that the 
Vicar would rather have no music at all in the 
church than let one of the Brancepeths sing in the 
choir. But how to intimate this without seeming 
ungracious, if not absolutely rude ? 

The choir, to a child, recognised her difficulty, 
and began to shuffle about and to titter. 

“ Really,” said the confused girl at last, with just 
one glance at his face, which, for no reason that she 
could understand, caused her to blush crimson, ^‘it 
is very good of you, Mr. Brancepeth. But I’m 
afraid you don’t understand what a long time it takes 
to get up anything of the sort properly. It would 
be too much of a tax to come as often as we should 
have to practise.” 

But the obtuse creature persisted. 

“ Oh, I don’t mind how often I come,’’ said he. 

Kathleen could not make any more objections in 
the presence of the choir, of whose nods and winks 
she was already painfully conscious. There was 
nothing to do but to let him stay, and then to 
“ choke him off” privately when the others had gone 
— a most unpleasant process, which she dreaded. 

She therefore asked him, in a rather formal manner, 
if he would mind waiting until they had gone through 
the Psalms for the following Sunday. He retreated 
to his old place with docility, but promptly came up 
again when the Psalms were over. 

G k 13 


146 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Now, Athelstan, whose knowledge of music was 
of the slenderest possible kind, had been gifted by 
nature with an excellent voice and a correct ear. 
Whether through natural aptitude or devotion to 
his teacher, too, he proved remarkably amenable to 
instruction; with the surprising and perplexing result 
that the anthem went much better with him at the 
end of an hour than it had done with John Tustain’s 
son after three weeks’ work. Kathleen, against her 
will, was charmed with the result of her work on 
her big, docile pupil, and she found herself bullying 
him with real artistic enjoyment. 

Then, when the soprano, who was the village 
school-mistress, asked if she might go, Kathleen 
found herself plunged into a worse difficulty than 
she had expected. Everybody was delighted with 
the evening’s work, especially poor Athelstan, who 
was openly radiant at the compliments his fellow- 
singers shyly paid him. How was she to tell him 
that he wouldn’t do, when he had just proved tri- 
umphantly that he would ? 

She dismissed the choir with nervous haste and 
shut the organ. 

Athelstan stayed. 

He could not offer to help her, because her move- 
ments were so disconcertingly rapid ; but when she 
said “ good-night,” turned out the gas, and fled out 
of the church, all without taking breath, anxious 
to get the dreaded meeting over in the open air, 
where she could not be hemmed in and held at 
bay, he was by her side when she got outside the 
porch. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 1 4 / 

I hope I didn’t give you much trouble/' he began, 
meekly. 

Kathleen let her bundle of books slip in her em- 
barrassment and nervousness. 

‘‘ ril carry those things,” said he. 

And he had the whole pile under his arm before 
she could do more than make the faintest attempt at 
remonstrance. 

They were going down the steep, uneven path 
between the yew-trees through the church-yard. 
Going at a rapid pace, and unable, in the dusk, to 
take sufficient care where she stepped, Kathleen 
stumbled against a stone. Athelstan put his arm 
through hers. 

Let me help you down.” 

It frightened her to find her own arm trembling at 
his touch. This, of course, was another result of 
nervousness merely. They went in silence to the 
gate, which he opened. Once on the other side of 
it, she disengaged herself with a ” thank you,” which 
sounded as cold as if he had offended her. 

“ I must tell you now,” said Kathleen, gathering 
all her courage for this desperate strait, about the 
choir. Papa does not — would not let anyone not 
belonging to the village sing in the anthem.” 

“But I do belong to the village!” said Athel- 
stan. 

“ Oh, no, that’s not the same thing. You are not 
one of the villagers. It’s hard to get his permission 
to sing anthems at all ; he says it’s playing with the 
church to get up such things. And I know quite 
well that if I tell him you are going to take the bass 


148 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


for us he will say you do it just for fun, and that it 
must be given up.’" 

“ Very well,” said Athelstan, submissively. Of 
course, if you insist on chucking me out, I must go.” 

It is not I, Mr. Brancepeth. You sing beauti- 
fully, and you would have made the anthem go 
splendidly, I know. I am very, very sorry that we 
can’t keep you.” 

“ Oh, all right. Should I be any use if I came 
and sat with the choir on Sundays ?” 

“ Oh, no. Papa ” began Kathleen, hastily. 

And then she stopped. 

“ I suppose papa thinks there’s something profane 
in the sound of a Brancepeth’s voice!” exclaimed 
Athelstan, with at last a little wounded feeling in his 
tone. 

“ Oh, how absurd 1” said Kathleen. 

But she hardly spoke as if she thought so. 

They walked on a little way, Kathleen hoping no 
one would see them together, not wishing to send 
him away, and yet feeling guilty in the pleasure she 
felt in his presence. 

You are going to the ball, aren’t you ?” he asked, 
in a low voice. 

Yes. Oh, yes. Oh, thank you !” 

There was a world of smothered gratitude in the 
answer. 

“You — you’ll give me just one dance, one waltz, 
won’t you ? Just to show we’ve — it’s all made up?” 

He heard a sort of smothered sob. 

“ Oh, I should like to — but I mustn’t.” 

“ You mustn’t I” echoed Athelstan. And his tone 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


149 


was no longer meek. What do you mean by * you 
mustn’t’ ? What’s to prevent you if you want to ?” 

The girl held out her hand for her books. 

Mr. Brancepeth, why do you ask me ? Why do 
you speak to me ? You know what papa said to 
you ; he told me what he said. Well, it is he who 
says I mustn’t dance with you. It’s only on condi- 
tion that I promise not to that I’m allowed to go.” 

She hurried out this confession in such a tone of 
distress that, if Athelstan had not been too much 
occupied with his own feelings to be observant, he 
must have been flattered by this salve to his vanity. 
As it was, however, he was thrown into a transport 
of rage by her avowal. 

You’re only allowed to go on condition you don’t 
dance with me !” he almost shouted. And the young 
girl, while horribly frightened by the violence of his 
tone, thought what a nice voice he had, and how he 
made it ring out in his anger till it seemed to vibrate 
in her own heart. “ I never heard of such a thing ! 
It’s a piece of confounded cheek, a bit of narrow- 
minded parson’s intolerance, to dare to say such a 
thing ! What have I done that I am not fit to dance 
with a girl? It’s infamous! That’s what it is — 
infamous I I only wish we were back in the times 
when the parsons could be made to know their proper 
place, and could be flogged back to their pulpits 
when they dared to interfere with affairs which were 
no business of theirs !” 

But it was Kathleen’s turn to be angry at this 
insult to her father. 

You can scarcely say that his daughters are not 

13 ^ 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


150 

papa’s affairs, Mr. Brancepeth. Whatever you think, 
I should never dream of disputing his authority over 
me. And I shall most certainly not dance with any- 
one he disapproves of.” 

Why does he ‘ disapprove of me’ ? Answer 
that. I don’t say I’m as well behaved as a parson ; 
but what have I done that I should be treated as if I 
were not fit to speak to you ? Is he as particular 
about all the fellows you dance with ? Because, if 
he’s consistent, he ought to be !” 

‘‘ It’s dreadfully bad taste of you to talk like that 
about ^ parsons’ to me !” cried Kathleen, who was now 
at a white heat herself And you know quite well 
he’s right. Why, at the last Infirmary Ball ” 

She stopped short, but the allusion was enough for 
Athelstan. 

“ Go on,” said he, with a sudden change to sullen- 
ness. 

“ Well, people said — well, you know what they 
said !” she cried, desperately. 

No, I don’t,” retorted he, bluntly. What was 
it ?” 

“ They said that you ought none of you to have 
been allowed to come in; that you were not in a 
proper condition.” 

“ Do you mean they said we were drunk ?” 

They said you were — were — not sober.” 

Well, that’s the same thing, isn’t it ?” returned 
he, roughly. *‘And look here! I don’t care what 
they said, and we shall appear in just what condition 
we choose ; and if anybody dares to protest against 
our appearance there, we’ll make it hot for him! 


A SPOILT GIRL, I51 

There are your books. And I hope you may enjoy 
yourself with your well-behaved partners !” 

And he slapped her books down on the nearest 
window-sill of her father’s house, which they had by 
this time reached, and dashed off in a passion up the 
road, not looking at her as he raised his hat. 

By this time Kathleen was crying as if her heart 
would break. What had she done ? Offended him 
past hope of reconciliation, for one thing. And had 
she not also perhaps missed, by her own conduct, 
the chance of doing a little to bring him to more 
civilised ways of life ? And yet, what could she do 
but tell him what her father had said ? 

Between her conscience and her inclination, the 
Vicar’s pretty daughter was in the lowest depths of 
misery as she crept into the house, telling herself 
that she did not want to go to the ball at all now, 
since her own words had perhaps hastened the sort 
of catastrophe the Brancepeths were always bring- 
ing about. Just to spite her, would not Athelstan be 
more boisterous than he and his brothers had been 
the last time ? 


CHAPTER XV. 

^ Kathleen was not the only person who looked 
forward to the ball with some dread. Mrs. Floriston, 
who had fulfilled her promise to return in time for 
the great function, saw something in her brother’s 
hands on the evening before that of the ball which 
roused in her feelings of the strongest uneasiness. 


152 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


It was an open jewel-case, in which lay a dazzling 
cluster of ornaments of turquoises surrounded by 
diamonds. Hubert was looking at them with deep 
interest; and Mrs. Floriston, who had never seen 
such a thing in his hands before, was seized by a 
fear that they were a gift for the obnoxious Harry. 

Not that Hubert had made anything in the nature 
of a confession of his feelings towards the girl ; he 
had not even mentioned her name. But women are 
quick of perception in these matters, and his sister 
trembled. For while Hubert himself saw all the 
inconveniences which would attach to an alliance 
with the house of Brancepeth, to Maude the terrors 
of such a prospect appeared in tenfold horror. 

She did not dare to question her brother on the 
subject, but tried to calm her own fears by hoping 
that the jewels might prove to be for some other 
woman, herself perhaps, or the Vicar’s little daughter. 
Although this would be by no means a marriage for 
her brother after Maude’s own heart, it would be an 
ideal alliance by comparison with the one she dreaded. 

As a matter of fact, the jewels she had seen were 
those which Lord Ambry had given to his fiancee ; 
Hubert had gone up to town on purpose to recover 
these in time for the ball, but had been unable to find 
an opportunity of giving them to Harry. 

So he had to start for the ball with the case in his 
pocket, trusting to his luck to obtain a chance of 
delivering them into her hands on arrival. This 
proved to be easy enough ; for, on reaching the Corn 
Exchange, where the ball was held, the first face he 
saw, as he escorted his sister and Kathleen and 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


153 


Jessica Griffith up the stone staircase, was that of 
Harry, leaning anxiously over the balustrade above. 

Mrs. Floriston’s heart sank when she noted the 
quick glance of recognition which passed between 
Hubert and the young girl. 

You will leave your hoods in the cloak-room, of 
course," he said quickly to the ladies. “ I will come 
and fetch you when I have disposed of my over- 
coat." 

No sooner had he seen his sister and her charges 
disappear than he found himself seized by Harry. 
She caught his arm and looked up into his face as 
if he had been an old friend. 

Hallo !" he said. 

And then they both laughed, and she blushed, and 
began softly tapping her gloved hands together. 

“ Well," said she, answering the thought which had 
sprung into the minds of both, “ we do seem to have 
known each other longer than we have. It is because 
of that queer beginning, my breaking my arm and 
your setting it." 

“ Yes, I suppose so," said he. 

And then the two stood silent, pushed about by 
the crowd of people who were arriving in a steady 
stream, until Hubert remembered that in a few 
seconds his sister would come to look for him. 

I have brought your jewels,” he said, in a low 
voice. “ But I cannot very well give them to you 
here." 

‘‘There’s a balcony," said she. ‘‘You could — 
there.” 

He followed her along the wide stone landing until 


154 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


they reached the balcony, which was really the roof 
of the stone portico walled in with striped canvas, 
and furnished with low cane chairs. Here they 
seemed to be safe from observation, and Hubert 
drew the case from his pocket. Harry stood silent 
and thoughtful while he opened it. When he looked 
up at her, it seemed to him that she had never looked 
so lovely. Her tall figure looked its best in the 
gown of pearl-white silk, with full sleeves of peach- 
coloured velvet, and a little pearl-white chiffon about 
the low bodice. She wore no ornaments, no flowers. 
Her wrap was a long cloak of peach-coloured velvet, 
bordered with marten fur, which Hubert thought was 
sable. 

“You have no flowers. If I had known, and if I 
had dared, I would have sent you some. Would 
you have worn them ?” 

He had no business to say this ; the tone was a 
worse offence than the words ; for he spoke with the 
accents of a lover, and he looked into her eyes with 
an expression which caused hers to droop. 

“ Of course I would have worn them, if you had 
sent them,” she answered, simply. “ But I am glad 
you did not. I like flowers, and I don’t like to see 
them die in my own hands. You may send me some, 
if you like, to-morrow.” 

Her tone was so sweet, so caressing, that it was 
excusable in Hubert to hope. Indeed, he was intoxi- 
cated by his love for her, and by the admissions 
which she unconsciously made with every glance 
from her childlike grey eyes. If he had at that 
moment been asked what his chances were, he would 


A SPOILT GIRL. 155 

have said that he expected to go back home that 
night with her promise to be his wife. 

“ I will send you some,” he said. 

He had forgotten the jewel-case, which he still 
held closed in his hand. It was she who reminded 
him, by touching the corner of it, what the reason of 
their the-a-tete was. Hubert shivered. 

They will not suit your dress to-night,” said he, 
sharply. “ The blue of the turquoises will spoil it 
all.” 

She smiled, evidently not resenting his jealous 
tone. 

“ I must wear them, though,” she said. 

The tone in which she spoke cast a sudden chill 
upon Hubert in the midst of his passionate hopes. 
He looked at her in bewilderment. Even with the 
love-light in her eyes she wore an expression of 
determination which told that she had, among other 
good and bad qualities of the Brancepeths, that of 
making up her mind and of working out her own 
will. 

Well, if you must, let me put them on for you,” 
he said. 

She made no objection, but stood silent and sub- 
missive before him, while he fastened the long spray 
brooch to the side of her bodice, the upright orna- 
ment in the coils of her fair hair ; then he took one 
end of the necklace in each hand, and clasped them 
together at the back of her neck. 

And at the touch of his hands she shivered. 

Hubert lost his head. With his hands still about 
her neck, he whispered — 


156 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


‘‘ My darling !” 

A great flash of light seemed to illuminate her 
fair young face, and at that moment she was ready 
to waver in her resolution, to break her word to the 
man she hated, and to plight her faith to the man 
she loved. 

But even as Hubert, seizing his opportunity, was 
bending to kiss her, the sound of Lord Ambry’s 
biting, cold voice broke suddenly upon their ears. 

“ I am horribly afraid I am in the way, but if Miss 
Brancepeth could spare me two minutes, I would 
really promise not to keep her more.” 

They were both facing him, the man and the girl, 
and Lord Ambry looked steadily first at the one 
and then at the other. He disliked Hubert Besils 
intensely, having scented danger to the prospects of 
his love as soon as he heard of this interloper who 
had dared to thwart Harry as she had never been 
thwarted before. Now he hated him with such a 
virulent hatred that he would have married Harry 
for nothing but the pleasure of cutting out his rival. 
For he could not despise this man who, without 
being handsome, was distinguished in appearance 
and in bearing, and who looked, even to the most 
casual observer, a much better match for the tall, 
beautiful girl than he was. It galled Lord Ambry 
to know that his own height was considerably less 
than that of his fiancee. 

Hubert, who felt that the moment which was fatal 
for Lord Ambry was propitious for himself, glanced 
at Hariy, bowed, and retired. Harry, who was very 
pale, looked up as he went through the open cur- 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


157 


tains, and caught sight of her eldest brother, who 
was evidently in a state of expectation of some sen- 
sational occurrence, and who was standing outside 
the curtains, apparently listening for what might be 
going on on the other side of them. 

Lord Ambiy noted the resolute expression on the 
young girl’s face, and saw that he must not attempt 
to carry matters with a high hand. He placed a 
chair for her, and addressed her in tones which were 
as persuasive and tender as long experience of the 
capricious sex had taught him how to make them. 

** Sit here, sit here, so that I can see you better. I 
am jealous, Harrington; I can’t bear to let another 
man get so much as a smile from you. That is only 
right, isn’t it ?” 

“ I suppose, I — suppose so,” answered Harry, as 
if she scarcely understood. 

She looked as if she had been rudely awakened 
from a sleep full of pleasant dreams, and instead of 
complying with his request to her to be seated, she 
remained on her feet, idly playing with the leaves of a 
big palm which stood in one corner of the covered- 
in balcony. Lord Ambry had intended to reproach 
her; but the look on her face made him think better 
of it, and smothering, or at least concealing, his own 
anger against her and Hubert, he opened an old 
morocco case which he had brought with him and 
held it before her eyes. It contained a necklace of 
pearls, diamonds, and opals, set in an old-fashioned 
way, a treasure which would have brightened the 
eyes of most girls. 

But Harry looked at it coldly. 

14 


158 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Opals. They say they are unlucky,” was her 
only comment. 

Lord Ambry drew himself up. 

They have been worn by more than one of the 
ladies of my family,” said he, with a trace of stiff- 
ness in his tone. “And they have none of them 
had cause to complain of — of anything, in fact.” 

“ Oh, they are very beautiful, very” — she seemed 
to hesitate for a word — “ magnificent.” 

But she spoke without interest. She was thinking 
of something else. 

“ I hope you will do me the honour, give me the 
pleasure of seeing you wear them to-night.” 

He lifted the necklace out of its case, and looking 
up, frowned slightly at the sight of the jewels she 
was already wearing. He was probably thinking 
that there was some little mystery about the disap- 
pearance and reappearance of those turquoise and 
diamond ornaments. Harry drew back a step. 

“ You told me to wear these to-night,” she said, 
rather hastily. 

Lord Ambry frowned a little more. His suspicions 
were growing more acute. 

“ Well, I wanted to see whether you had — given 
them away.” 

Harry blushed angrily, and he hastened to add — 

“I apologise for having done you an injustice. 
But I know you are so generous. Now, however, 
that I have brought you this, I want you to let me 
put it on you. It will go much better with the dress 
you are wearing than the blue stones.” 

A little smile hovered for a moment on Harry’s 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


159 


lips : Hubert had said this too. She made another 
step back as Lord Ambry came forward, insist- 
ing 

“ No,” she said with decision, I will wear these, 
or — I will wear none.” 

Lord Ambry grew more persistent still. Perhaps 
he guessed whose hands had fastened the turquoise 
ornaments in their places. With a dexterous move- 
ment and a display of agility which she did not ex- 
pect from a man of his years, he suddenly snapped 
asunder the clasp of the necklace she was wearing 
with a violence which roused her to open hostility. 
Taken by surprise, she could not hide the revulsion 
of feeling caused by his touch. It was that short 
interview with Hubert, those few trifling words ex- 
changed with the man she loved, which had made 
even passive acceptance of Lord Ambry’s caresses 
impossible. 

She shuddered and drew back. Her elderly fiance 
saw open repugnance, revolt in her eyes. She put 
out her hands as if to ward off his approach. He 
was in the very attitude Hubert had taken, holding 
in each hand one end of the splendid necklace, as 
Hubert had held the less dazzling one. 

No,” she said, in a low voice, but with fixed de- 
termination in look, tone, and manner. “ I will not 
wear that. I will not wear any. Lord Ambry, I am 
sorry if you are disappointed. But I can’t help it. 
I can’t wear your presents, and I can’t — oh, I can’t 
marry you ! I’m dreadfully sorry, and ashamed of 
myself; and I know you must think me changeable, 
capricious, ridiculous. Please forgive me. Please 


l6o A SPOILT GIRL. 

don’t be angry with me for being honest. But I 
couldn’t be your wile, I couldn’t — now.” 

Lord Ambry, if he could have given free vent to 
his feelings, would have been stamping on the floor 
and cursing Hubert Besils and the whole family of 
Brancepeths, not excepting the girl before him. His 
fancy for Harry, his admiration for her well-developed 
style of beauty, had been very strong, strong enough 
to overcome his dislike of her impecunious and im- 
portunate family, with whose demands he intended to 
make short work when he was once married. He 
was not accustomed to opposition or to failure, and 
he was furious at this check to his plans. He re- 
ceived her rebuff in silence, and did not speak again 
until he had considered what argument he had better 
use with her. He chose well. 

“ Do you know, my dear Harrington, what your 
father and your brothers would say, and what the 
consequences would be to them” — here he paused 
a moment, to give her time for reflection — “ if you 
were to indulge this momentary pique, and if I were 
to let you treat me like this ?” 

Poor Harry lost her colour, and her face fell. 

I — I can’t help it,” she stammered. 

“ But you can, my dear girl, you can,” urged Lord 
Ambry, gently. Don’t decide too hastily. Just 
think the matter over quietly, when you are by your- 
self, and then put it to yourself whether it is not 
better and more honourable to carry out your 
promise, and to make not only me but your family 
happy, than to indulge the whim of a moment, a 
passing sentiment, and leave us all in the lurch? 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


l6l 


Just consider it quietly, and let me have your answer 
to-morrow.” 

Perhaps this gently-spoken and well-considered 
speech might have had its due effect upon the ex- 
cited, impulsive young girl if Lord Ambry had not 
wound up by taking her hand, in its long pearl- 
coloured glove, caressingly in his and imprinted a 
kiss upon the upper part of her arm, between the 
end of the glove and the peach velvet sleeve. 

The touch repelled her. She glanced at his bald 
head, at the wrinkles which were not those of age 
only. And she shuddered. He felt her recoil, and 
looking up to meet her eyes, he saw in them such 
an expression of aversion as repelled him. 

They stood away from each other, both knowing 
that this was the end, indeed. Then Harry with 
nervous haste unpinned the brooch on her bodice 
and took the jewelled comb from her hair. 

“ You must let me give you back these,” she said, 
in a frightened whisper, without looking at him. 
“And — and I’m dreadfully sorry, you know that, 
because you know what’s going to happen. And — 
and — good-bye.” 

She was quite white, trembling so that she could 
scarcely stand. She would have held out her hand, 
but the uncompromising scowl on Lord Ambry’s 
face forbade it. She did not look happy, poor child ; 
she did not look relieved ; above all, she did not look 
at all like a girl who is about to exchange a distasteful 
lover for one whom she cares for. 

A poor, scared, shaking creature it was, not the 
brilliant Miss Brancepeth of her arrival half an hour 
/ 14* 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


162 

before, who slipped through the curtains, and almost 
fell into the arms of Giles, who' had evidently been 
listening outside. 

He caught her, and whispered eagerly — 

“What’s up? What have you been saying to 
Ambry ?” 

“ I’ve broken it off. I’m not going to marry him. 
Giles, I can’t !” whispered the girl pleadingly, miser- 
ably. 

“ Oh, that’s all right,” replied her eldest brother, 
philosophically. “ Besils is the better off of the two, 
for he has no encumbered property at his heels. 
And you like him, don’t you ?” 

But Harry’s face only grew more deathly white 
as she broke away from her brother without reply. 


CHAPTER XVI. 

There can be very little doubt that, if Lord 
Ambry had been able to follow his inclination, he 
would have left the Corn Exchange immediately 
after his rupture with his fiancee^ without even enter- 
ing the ball-room. 

But he was a man of dogged temper, who would 
not slink away and betray how much he suffered 
from the rebuff He had a lingering hope, too, that 
Harry would come to her senses before the night 
was over, realise either by herself or with the help 
of her brothers’ arguments what she was losing by 
her folly, and relent with a little persuasion before 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


163 


the night was over. Of course everybody would see 
that there had been some breach ; but he knew 
enough of the world to be satisfied that if he stood 
his ground, it would be the girl who would suffer in 
people’s estimation, and not he. 

So he put both the diamond necklace and the tur- 
quoise set in safe-keeping, and followed the example 
of Harry by making his way to the ball-room. 

Harry was dancing when he entered : at least, she 
had taken her place for a quadrille with her partner, 
who was not Hubert. Lord Ambry took the bull 
by the horns, by selecting a partner and taking his 
place opposite to Harry. Naturally enough, all the 
people in the room who could see what was happen- 
ing, began to exchange first looks and then whispers 
about the couple, whose engagement had been known 
throughout the county. For when they met in the 
dance, as they were bound to, each avoided meeting 
the other’s eyes. 

The news flew through the room like wildfire: 
the engagement between Lord Ambry and Miss 
Brancepeth was broken off. 

Hubert, who had not been dancing, had already 
seen enough to set his own heart beating fast before 
a casual acquaintance, a neighbouring country gen- 
tleman, brought him the news. 

Have you heard the latest ?” said the good- 
humoured club-gossip. “It’s off between Ambry 
and Sir Giles’s daughter. He’s well out of that,” 
added he, with emphasis. 

“ On the contrary, I think it is she who is to be 
congratulated,” said Hubert, hotly, his tone and 


164 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


manner letting the other man into the secret at 
once. 

“ Oh, I beg your pardon, I — I — quite agree with 
you that — that he was much too — too old for her 
for one thing.” 

'' And much too disreputable for another,” returned 
Hubert. 

The simple country gentleman was taken aback. 
Who was this man Besils, that he should presume to 
find fault, in such terms, with one of the Kent great 
men ? On the other hand, if, as seemed probable, he 
was himself a suitor of Mi^s Brancepeth’s, he was 
certainly a better match, from the point of view of 
appearance, than small, bald Lord Ambry. For 
Hubert, though his nose was too long and his face 
too thin, his mouth too straight and his chin too 
long, for him to lay claims to beauty, was tall, and 
had in looks and manner that indefinable something 
which makes the person who has looked once look 
again. 

Of course,” went on the gossip, after a pause, 
Miss Brancepeth is the handsomest girl in this part 
of the county.” 

And to my mind she is the most attractive girl 
in any part of any county,” said Hubert, as he 
moved away. 

For Harry had made her partner lead her straight 
back to her aunt, and had just given Hubert a glance 
which was an invitation. Hubert stood beside her 
for a moment without speaking. 

“ Come,” said he, at last, “ this is our waltz, isn’t 
it ?” 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


i6s 

r 

'‘If you like,” said Harry, dexterously avoiding 
one of the local magnates, a bore of the first water, 
to whom the waltz really belonged. 

Hubert was in an ecstasy of happiness; he had 
never thought that the touch of a woman’s hand, the 
glance of a woman’s eyes, would be able to intoxi- 
cate him like this. They waltzed in silence, content 
to be happy, and it was not until they were standing 
by an open window in a smaller room dedicated to 
lovers and dowagers, that he made any allusion to 
the event of the evening. 

He was playing with her fan, and criticising it 
severely. 

“ I don’t like these spangly things,” said he. It 
may be the latest thing, of course ” 

“ Oh, no, it isn’t. It’s the cheapest. Things like 
that I have to pay for out of my allowance ” 

“Then the next must be paid for out of mine. 
Which do you like best — ^pearl or tortoise-shell ? 
I suppose you like those big ones made of long curly 
feathers ? I have often thought it must be a fine 
thing to be a woman, just to have one of those 
regal-looking things.” 

But Harry pursed up her lips. 

“ I won’t have one, though,” she said, in a tone of 
decision. “ You may send me the flowers to-mor- 
row, if you like, but nothing else.” 

“ But you let Lord Ambry give you presents ?” 

“ When I was going to marry him. But I have 
given them all back, you see.” 

She showed him that the places where the jewels 
had been were now bare of ornament. Hair, bodice, 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


i66 

neck, all were unadorned. The girl smiled triumph- 
antly. 

“ But now you are going to marry me.’* 

“No, I’m not.” 

“ You are, though.” 

Harry sprang up. 

“ We won’t talk about disagreeable things now,” 
cried she, impatiently. “ Let us be as happy as we 
can for one evening ; leave all the tiresome discussions 
till afterwards.” 

“ But, Harry, if you care for me, why should 
there be anything tiresome about such discussions 
as that ?” 

“ I won’t give you any reasons ; I won’t give you 
anything but dances. And if you dare to say any- 
thing to me that I don’t want to hear, I won’t waltz 
with you any more. And I don’t want to hear about 
marriage. I’ve been dreading it for months, and 
now I’ve got it off my mind at last, I’m not going to 
be worried about it again in a hurry.” 

He was obliged to humour the whim of the wilful 
girl, though it made him uneasy, and marred for 
him the happiness of a night which would other- 
wise have been a long dream of Paradise. And yet 
perhaps this caprice of Harry’s really intensified 
the delirious pleasure which the confirmed woman- 
hater felt in the society of the beautiful hoyden. 
The possibility, remote though it seemed, that she 
might slip through his fingers after all, put him on 
his metal, enhanced the excitement of every look, of 
every touch, of every meeting of their hands. 

It was during the duty-dances which he and she 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


167 

were obliged to give to others that his fears pricked 
him the most. It was easy to forget them when his 
hand was upon her waist and her fair hair almost 
brushed his cheek. Pretty Kathleen Griffith, who 
was his partner in the Lancers, looked up in his face 
with an arch but rather wintry little smile. He 
reddened, recalled thus suddenly to his duty of 
making himself amiable. And it occurred to him 
that his companion was not quite so bright as usual. 

I believe Pm boring you to death. Miss Griffith," 
he said, penitently. I can see it in your face, so 
polite denial will avail you nothing." 

It’s not that," answered Kathleen, in a tone which 
betrayed a little more. I don’t know that I am 
enjoying myself very much — not so much as I thought 
I should. But it’s my own fault. I chose white, and 
there are so many in white.” 

Hubert looked round the room. It was not quite 
so bright a scene as the Hunt Ball, where most of 
the gentlemen wore pink ; but there was plenty of 
colour in the dresses worn by the ladies, and Hubert 
saw no such terrible preponderance of white. 

Your dress is charming," said he ; ** we must look 
further for the cause of this failure." 

And then a blush, a look, and, moreover, the sight 
of Athelstan standing in a sulky attitude in one of 
the door-ways, opened his dull eyes. 

‘^Ah!" he said, solemnly. ‘‘You wouldn’t find it 
so dull if the first letter of the alphabet were in my 
place !" 

Kathleen, confused, gave a little quivering sigh. 

“ I’m not allowed to dance with him," she said, 


i68 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


almost in a whisper. “ Even if,” she hastened to 
add, he wanted to, or / wanted to ! And yet,” she 
added, plaintively, “ he — he — nobody would have 
known he was a Brancepeth to-night !” 

Hubert could not help smiling. 

“ Here,” he said, “ you’ve got another dance down 
for me, haven’t you ? The supper dance, I think it 
is. If I don’t turn up, you might — sit it out with 
him, mightn’t you ?” 

Kathleen’s face brightened with hope, and then 
immediately clouded with despair. 

“ It would be keeping the letter, but not the spirit, 
of my promise, wouldn’t it?” she said, with secret 
yearning. 

“ Well, well,” said Hubert, who was determined to 
give the girl her harmless pleasure if he could, “ ask 
my sister what she thinks ? And if she should think 
it all right, why, I shouldn’t be surprised if a little 
bird were to whisper to him ” 

“ Oh, no, no !” interrupted Kathleen, blushing 
deeply. “ Please, please don’t let him think I want 
to speak to him 1 For I don’t, really I” 

And Hubert did not insist. 

But it was very strange that he did neglect to turn 
up for the dance in question. And that Athelstan, 
whose eyes Kathleen had avoided meeting all through 
the evening, should plant himself in front of the 
Vicar’s daughter with startling suddenness, and say, 
in a voice loud enough to set a dozen people tittering — 

“ Miss Kathleen, am I drunk ?” 

The girl started, blushed deeply, and looked much 
shocked. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 1 69 

Athelstan met her frightened eyes with a steady 
gaze. 

“You said, you know, you couldn’t dance with 
me because we always came ' in an intoxicated con- 
dition.’ So I ask you, Am I intoxicated now ?” 

Kathleen tried to laugh, looked down at her fan, 
and finally said, with spirit — 

“You had better ask a better judge than I am, 
Mr. Brancepeth.” 

But instead of taking her advice, Athelstan said — 

“ Don’t be frightened ; I’m not going to ask you 
to dance. But — may I talk to you till your partner 
turns up?” 

“ I — I suppose I can’t prevent you, can I ?” 

“ Oh, yes, you can. Nothing more simple. If you 
say ’ Go,’ I’ll go and talk to that girl in white and 
yellow instead.” 

Now, Kathleen hated the girl in white and yellow, 
and had watched her without once looking straight 
at her for a long time. Athelstan had appeared to 
devote himself to her, and Kathleen did not know 
how much that girl in white and yellow had had to 
do with the failure of the ball with herself. So these 
words raised a tempest in her breast, and she an- 
swered with flashing eyes — 

“ Go, then ! Pray go ! She’s looking this way. 
She is waiting for you.” 

But the tone had just that suspicion of pique which 
Athelstan wanted to rouse in her. So he sat down 
beside her, and said — 

“ I would go if I were sure you meant you wanted 
me to. But — I hope you don’t mean it : lam sure 


I/O 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


you wouldn’t if you knew how much I’ve wanted to 
speak to you.” 

He stopped, and Kathleen waited. But there was 
a long pause before she said, softly — 

“ You wanted to speak to me ? What did you 
want to say ?” 

She gave him just one shy, sidelong glance, just 
to assure herself that it was really he, the tallest, the 
handsomest man in the room, the one who made all 
the others look lank-haired, and stiff of gait, and 
fishy-eyed, and altogether unendurable and tedious 
and ugly. Then she looked down again, waiting 
with a little flutter of excitement at her heart for his 
answer. 

“ Oh, a lot of things. But they’ve all gone out of 
my head now I’ve got the chance of saying them. 
Let me see !” And he put his face into his hands, 
and Kathleen, from behind her fan, glanced at his 
head, and thought how beautifully curly his hair was, 
and wondered whether it was soft to the touch, or 
bristly like papa’s. 

** Well,” he went on, in the first place. I’ve got 
to apologise — I’m always having to apologise — for 
getting so angry that evening when I saw you home 
after the choir-practice.” 

‘'Oh, but it was all my fault, and I’ve been so 
sorry, and I’ve wanted to tell you so,” burst out 
Kathleen in an humble, earnest tone. “ I had such 
difficult things to say, you know ; not my own words 
at all, but papa’s. I should never, never have said 
such things myself.” 

“ What, that some of us were screwed at the last 


A SPOILT GIRL. I/I 

Infirmary Ball? Well, you might have said it; it 
was true enough.” 

“ But you’re not this time !” said Kathleen, eagerly. 

“ No. We’re getting quite respectable. Giles and 
Radley kept sober for Lord Ambry ; and I for — ^you.” 

Silence. 

” Well, aren’t you going to signify your approval ?” 

The couples were waltzing past them ; the air was 
fanned into their faces by muslin and chiffon skirts ; 
flying ribbons would flutter past, almost touching 
their heads. The commonplace prettiness of ” Down 
by the Sea” seemed a revelation of exquisite music. 
Kathleen shivered, not with cold, but with delight. 
And all because, forsooth, a young man who had no 
excuse for behaving badly at any time had chosen 
not to behave badly on this one particular occasion ! 

She was sensible that her joy was extravagant, 
and she took care not to betray too much. 

Isn’t the approval of your conscience enough ?” 

Oh, dear, no ! I don’t believe I’ve got one !” 

‘^Oh, you must have. We all have. Mine is 
pricking me now.” 

Why ?” 

Because I’m breaking my promise to papa.” 

But you’re not dancing with me ?” 

No. But this is as bad.” 

I suppose it is. You ought not even to speak to 
me ?” 

No answer. 

You used to like to, once.” 

Still no answer. 

” Didn’t you ?” 


1/2 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


There came an answer this time, but it was uttered 
in such a soft little whisper that, what with the music, 
and the whirr of flying feet, and the buzz of talk 
among the dancers, it was quite excusable in Athel- 
stan not to be able to hear without putting his head 
very close to hers. 

“ Not — more — than — I — do — now !” 

There was a pause. It seemed scarcely worth 
while to take his head away, especially as the lace 
curtains of the recess in which they sat screened them 
from the scrutinising glances of the waltzing couples. 

** Do you mean,” asked he, with the air of a person 
who wants the solution of some weighty scientific 
problem, ‘‘ that you didn’t like talking to me then, or 
that you do like talking to me now ?” 

Kathleen realised that she was being pushed into 
a dangerous corner, and she rebelled. 

** Oh, you know ! And why do you ask me ? You 
ought not to ask me !” 

“Yes, I ought. Kathleen, isn’t it rather rough on 
a fellow? Come now, tell me that. You know 
I’m cracked about you, everybody knows it. And 
where’s the harm? One would think it was an 
insult, by the way you all take it! Is it still the 
pear-tree? I shouldn’t do those things if I were 
your husband. Are you afraid I should ?” 

“ Oh, hush ! hush ! Let me go and find Mrs. 
Floriston!” cried Kathleen, really alarmed by this 
unexpected turn in the conversation. 

“ No, you don’t !” cried Athelstan, keeping her in 
her seat by the power of the strong hand ; “ not till 
you have listened to what I have to say. One doesn’t 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


173 


screw oneself up to the point of asking a girl to 
marry one every day, and I mean you to hear me. 
I want you to be my wife, Kathleen. Isn’t there a 
chance ?” 

“ Oh, no, no ! Papa ” 

“ Papa be hanged ! I don’t want to marry him ! 
Look here, I’ll take an answer to this : Would there 
be a chance if it were not for papa ?” 

I don’t know. No, I don’t suppose so. It doesn’t 
do any good to put cases like that. Besides, of 
course, of course f emphatically, “ it wouldn’t make 
any difference.’^ 

But Athelstan didn’t believe her. He played with 
his gloves and looked thoughtful. 

“ What is it he principally objects to in me ?” asked 
he, presently. “ Or is it everything ?” 

“ Why, yes, of course, it’s everything,” replied 

Kathleen, promptly. “ He says you’re idle ” 

That’s because I’ve never had anything to do,” 
interpolated Athelstan. 

“ — and vi ” She stopped. 

“ Vicious ? Well, I’m not.” 

— and that you have no self-control. And that 
you’re — you’re — one of the Brancepeths.” 

“ I see. That sums up everything conveniently. 
Now, nobody but a parson would dare to sum a man 
up like that ! And of course you quite agree with 
him ?” 

No. I always do say all I can for you,” protested 
Kathleen, plaintively. 

“ Well, why don’t you say a little more, and tell 
him you mean to have me for a husband ?” 

15* 


174 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


“ But I don’t !” 

“ Oh, come, come, think again ! Look here, I don’t 
believe you dislike me.” 

“ But not to dislike a person is one thing, and to 
be ready to marry him is another.” 

“ Well, it may be so to start with. But when you 
know that this person whom you don’t dislike wor- 
ships you, can’t think of anybody but you, can’t get 
you out of his head, in fact, and that he’s ready to 
do just whatever you want him to, and to give up 
everything you don’t like just to please you, well, 
what then ?” 

Kathleen was whimpering ; her handkerchief went 
stealthily up to her eyes. 

Oh, please, please, don’t !” .she whispered. “ You 
know it’s of no use !” 

“ But why ? Why ? Am I such a fearful rascal 
that there’s no hope for me? No reliance to be 
placed on my word ? And are you so sure, either, 
that you wouldn’t like me better for a husband than 
a man as good as the Vicar ? Perhaps, you know, 
you wouldn’t be good enough for him. Of course 
you’re more than good enough for me ; but the mere 
fact that you do like me a little proves that you are 
not quite so good as you think yourself, doesn't it ?” 

“ I’m not good at all,” said Kathleen, humbly. 
“ But, oh, I should be happy if I thought you would 
really try and — and ” 

“Reform? Why, so I will. Just because you 
want me to. And I’ll get some work to do, if it’s 
breaking stones on the roads. You shan’t have to 
be ashamed of having spoken up for me, I promise 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


175 


you. And, look here, I won’t worry you again about 
what we’ve been talking about till you and every- 
body can see for yourselves that I mean what I’ve 
said.” 

Oh, I’m so glad !” cried Kathleen, in an earnest 
voice. “ I can’t tell you how glad !” 

**And don’t you think, if you believe what I’ve 
said,” suggested Athelstan, insinuatingly, “that I 
might take you into supper? Just to give you an 
opportunity, you know, of mentioning any little thing 
I ought to do that I might otherwise forget ?” 

Now duty pulled Kathleen two ways. For while, 
on the one hand, she was certainly violating the spirit 
of her promise to her father, could she do less than 
strengthen and encourage a man in a good resolution ? 

In the end, she let him take her in to supper. 


CHAPTER XVII. 

Now Hubert had been mindful of his own interests 
as well as of Athelstan’s when he gave that young 
gentleman the hint upon which he had acted so 
promptly. For this manoeuvre left him free to take 
Harry in to supper. 

She was in high spirits, and although Hubert could 
see that she was less free from anxiety than she 
pretended to be, there was no doubt about the relief 
she felt on finding herself free from her distasteful 
engagement to Lord Ambry. 

As for the disappointed suitor himself, he bore 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


176 

himself with discretion, and finding as the evening 
went on that there seemed no prospect of Harry’s 
relenting in his favour, he had already begun to con- 
sole himself by reflections on the undesirability of 
an alliance with her family. This sentiment did not, 
however, smother his resentment; and, as old Sir 
Giles’ unpunctuality in paying off the interest on the 
mortgage had given him the power to foreclose, he 
resolved to take this revenge without delay. 

As soon as supper was over the viscount took his 
departure. 

Giles and Radley, who had been keeping a steady 
watch on his movements, as well as on those of 
Hubert and their sister Harry, exchanged glances. 
All was not well. Hubert, taking the viscount’s 
departure without a word to any of the Brancepeths 
as a sign that the time had come for him to get his 
answer from the reluctant and apparently capricious 
Harry, had begun to press his suit in earnest. 

The girl, however, refused to listen. Finding that 
he was not to be put off, she left him abruptly, and 
taking refuge with the amenable Lady Maggie, de- 
clared that she was tired and wanted to go home. 

Her compliant aunt, used to regarding the im- 
perious Harry’s wishes as commands, left the ball- 
room with her at once ; telling Giles as she passed 
out that they were ready to go home. 

But when the two ladies, cloaked and hooded, met 
Giles again at the top of the staircase, he was looking 
very black. He seized his sister roughly by the 
arm. 

“ I am to congratulate you and Besiks, I suppose ?” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 1 7 / 

he said, uneasily. “We all knew how things were 
going.” 

“ I am afraid you did not,” answered Harry, who 
was very pale. 

She was drawing her long gloves up her arms, 
and she did not meet her brother’s angry eyes. She 
saw, however, that Radley was standing behind him, 
and that Hubert was in the door- way in the back- 
ground. Giles pretended not to understand, although 
his tone betrayed his fears. 

“What do you mean? You have thrown over 
Lord Ambry for Besils, we know that !” 

“ Indeed, I have done nothing of the kind. The 
engagement with Lord Ambry is broken off, that’s 
all.” 

Radley came a step nearer; Hubert, who was 
within hearing, glanced at the girl with an imploring 
look in his eyes. Giles looked at his sister as if he 
foresaw that a tussle was coming. 

“ Do you mean to tell me that you are not going 
to marry Besils ? Why, you have been dancing with 
him, flirting outrageously with him all night. Do 
you mean ” 

Hubert interrupted his angry harangue by touching 
his arm. 

“ Don’t bully your sister,” he said, in a low voice. 
“ It is hardly delicate, is it, to speak to her like this ?” 

His voice was so low that even Harry, near as she 
was, caught no more than the sense of his words. 
But Giles, who knew how much depended upon his 
sister’s caprice, as he thought it, would not listen to 
the dictates of good taste. He turned to Hubert. 


i;8 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


** Mr. Basils, you are an honourable man ; my 
sister must not trifle with you as she has done with 
Ambry. Her own good name is at stake. People 
talk, people notice : she has made herself the talk of 
the county to-night. You know that as well as I 
do. There is only one thing for her to do now. 
Answer me, Harrington. Has Mr. Basils proposed 
to you to-night ?” 

“ For Heaven’s sake, don’t ruin what chance I have 
with her by speaking to her like that !” cried Hubert, 
pulling Giles away by main force from the head of 
the stairs, where Harry was still standing like a 
statue, with the same set expression on her hand- 
some mouth. 

There! There! You have told me you pro- 
posed !” cried Giles, in excitement. 

He was heated with champagne, but not to the 
point of misunderstanding what was said to him. 
He freed himself from Hubert with a rough jerk 
of his arms, and seized his sister rudely by the 
arm. 

“Now, then,” said he, “are you going to have 
him, or not ? Remember what your answer means 
— to you — to us !” he added in a fierce whisper close 
to her ear. 

Radley, who was more intoxicated than his brother, 
had drawn near to Harry on the other side, and heard 
her steady answer. 

“ I am not going to marry him.” 

The words were hardly out of her mouth when 
Radley, raising his right hand quickly, dealt his sister 
such a severe blow on the face with his open hand 


A SPOILT GIRL, 1 79 

that it left for a moment a livid patch upon her cheek 
followed in another instant by a scarlet mark. 

“ Curse you !” cried Giles at the same moment. 

Harry staggered, and Hubert, springing forward, 
put one arm round her, while he administered to 
Radley a blow which sent him stumbling and reeling 
against the balustrade. 

For just one second Harry faltered, and pressing 
her hand against Hubert’s while his arm supported 
her, she glanced eloquently up into his face. 

My darling, my darling !” he whispered, hurriedly. 

You will give way, and let us both be happy, won’t 
you ? It will be all right then — for all of us !” 

But the girl was deaf to his entreaties ; she steeled 
herself against his passionate pleadings. Glancing 
with heightened colour at the group of curious faces 
which the rumour of the fracas had caused to appear 
on the landing, she repulsed Hubert by a sudden, 
determined movement. 

“ You are impertinent, sir,” she said, drawing her- 
self to her full height and speaking with an affecta- 
tion of great haughtiness. “Let me go — with my 
brothers !” 

And taking the unwilling arm of her eldest brother, 
she swept with him down the staircase, leaving Lady 
Maggie, who was paralysed with fright, and Radley, 
and the still more intoxicated Quin, to tumble down 
the stairs pell-mell after her ; and the dancers in the 
ball-room to discuss the latest sensation afforded by 
“ the Brancepeths.” 


i8o 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

While Hubert was left speechless with disappoint- 
ment and the yearnings of baffled passion, and Mrs. 
Floriston was congratulating herself on the turn 
affairs had taken, scandalous as they were, the young 
Brancepeths were plotting more mischief before they 
reached the carriage. 

Giles saw that no time was to be lost in devising 
some way of escape from the quagmire into which 
their sister’s caprice had plunged them. There must 
be a council held at once. 

Radley and Quin had come in the landau with the 
ladies, while he and Athelstan had driven from Cul- 
verley in a dog-cart. Giles put the two ladies, who 
were both very quiet and quite silent, into the car- 
riage, and shutting them in, said that he and his 
brothers would return later. 

"‘We can get a couple of horses at the livery- 
stables close by,” he explained to his aunt, ignoring 
Harry altogether. 

As soon as the landau had driven away, he turned 
to his two brothers. 

Where’s Athelstan ?” said he, sharply. 

He was at that very moment coming down the 
staircase, to see what the row was about.” Giles 
thrust his arm through that of his second brother. 

“ Let us come out of this heat and crowd,” said 
Giles. I want to talk to you all. Be quiet, can’t 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


I8l 


you, Quin? Or I’ll stop the landau and send you 
home,” 

“ Look here,” said Athelstan, who was the only 
one of the four who was entirely sober, can’t you 
do without me? Just for an hour? You go home 
and talk over what you like, and I’ll find my way 
back later. I’ll get Mrs. Floriston to give me a lift.” 

“You fool!” said Giles, with clenched teeth. 
“ Don’t you know what has happened ? Or have 
you been so wrapped up in the parson’s daughter 
that we’ve got to tell you everything over again ?” 

And he gave his brother, in a few words, a garbled 
account of the recent events. Athelstan, who was in 
love himself, was sorry for Harry, and made a shrewd 
guess at her reasons for behaving as she had done. 

“ She’s fond of him, I believe, and she doesn’t 
want to saddle him with — us I” he said, meditatively. 
“And of course there’s something to be said for 
that view ; and at any rate she can’t be forced into 
marrying if she doesn’t want to.” 

“ And do you know what it means to all of us if 
she throws away a second good chance like that ? 
Do you suppose she’ll find another rich man to come 
forward to be made a fool of, when she’s thrown over 
two of them in one night? Don’t you see she’s 
cutting her own throat as well as ours ?” 

^ Well, it can’t be helped.” 

Athelstan, who was brimming over with good reso- 
lutions, discerned a chance of beginning a new sort 
of life, after cutting away altogether from the old. 
His want of sympathy disgusted Giles, and a violent 
quarrel was only averted by an abrupt suggestion 

i6 


i 82 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


from Radley, who pulled his eldest brother on one 
side to whisper it in his ear. 

After a rapid exchange of comments in a low voice, 
Giles spoke in a different tone. 

“ Well, boys, who’s for a lark ?” he asked, drawing 
Athelstan and Quin to him, and nodding to Radley. 

What do you say to easing old Ambry of the 
jewelry he was mean enough to take from Harry ? 
There’s a necklace worth three thousand pounds — I 
saw it. And a set of things that we know something 
about already. His coachman is an old fossil who 
would tumble off the box if the carriage were stopped, 
his footman is hardly more than a boy. Come, what 
do you say to it ?” 

Quin was delighted, and he said so, so noisily that 
he had to be silenced by his brothers. Athelstan, 
who, it is sad to say, was enough of a Brancepeth to 
feel a momentary exhilaration at the suggestion, shook 
his head. 

“ Highway robbery,” he murmured. 

“ What, have you turned virtuous since the par- 
son’s daughter has taken you in hand?’' sneered 
Giles. 

Athelstan reddened and stopped. They were 
walking along the very wide pavement of the old- 
fashioned country town’s principal street. They had 
reached a gas-lamp, under which they all stood 
waiting for Athelstan’s answer. A handsome group 
they were, these notorious Brancepeths, with their 
well-cut features and stalwart forms, their exuberant 
vitality, the dare-devil expression on their flushed 
faces. Radley was the only one of them who was 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


183 

not above the middle height, Quin the only one who 
was not regularly handsome of face. Athelstan. 
whom all the rest were now watching curiously, was 
the best-looking of them all. 

He thrust his hands deep into his pockets, and 
planting himself firmly in an attitude of defiance, 
said in a sullen, dogged tone — 

Perhaps I have. Anyhow I’m not going to have 
anything to do with this business. And if you’ll 
take my advice, you’ll think better of it yourselves, 
all of you. Do you think he won’t recognise you, 
the old fox? Or that everybody wouldn’t know 
whose work it was, even if he didn’t ?” 

You won’t join us, then ?” 

‘‘ No, I won’t.” 

“ Then get back to the parson’s daughter, and be 
d — d to you !” 

Athelstan received this command in perfect good 
temper. 

All right,” said he, as he moved quickly away in 
the direction of the Corn Exchange. “ Go and put 
your heads under the pump, all of you, and you’ll 
be in a better condition to judge of your own plan, 
and to see what asses you propose making of your- 
selves.” 

He ran back to the Corn Exchange, leaving his 
brothers too much excited to heed his excellent 
advice. He thought, when he left them, that they 
would give up their mad project on finding that he 
would not join in it. But even before he reached 
the door of the building he began to have doubts ; 
and as he went up the staircase on his way back to 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


184 

the ball-room his fears grew so strong that he went 
down again, and returned to the place where he had 
left his brothers. 

They had disappeared, however, and, after scouring 
the town in search of them, Athelstan was obliged 
to return to the Exchange without having found 
them. 

Here another disappointment awaited him: Mrs. 
Floriston, with her brother and the two Misses 
Griffith whom she had chaperoned, had gone home. 
There was nothing left for him but to return to Cub 
verley alone. 

After a few minutes’ consideration, he decided to 
hire a horse at the livery-stables and ride home. 
But a few words exchanged with the stableman made 
him change his mind. 

The other young gentlemen were in here twenty 
minutes ago, sir; so they’ve got the pick of the 
mounts,” said the man. 

“ Oh, they’ve been here, my brothers, have they ?” 
said Athelstan, pricking up his ears. 

“Yes, sir. They were in good spirits, the young 
gentlemen. Never see them in such good spirits! 
I shouldn’t be surprised if they was to do a bit of 
cross country work on their way. They wouldn’t 
never be content to jog along the road, not them I” 

Athelstan rode offi But when he was clear of the 
town he took a short cut to the right, and got into 
the road which Lord Ambry’s carriage would have 
had to take on its way home. 

It was a dark night and the rain was falling; the 
roads were deep in mud and very slippery. He 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


185 

could not see far on the way before him. Before he 
had gone far along the high-road, however, he heard 
the sound of a galloping horse, and he drew rein 
just in time to avoid a collision with a frightened 
coach-horse, with dangling harness and trailing reins, 
which was tearing down the road at a mad pace. 

“ They’ve done for us all this time !” said Athel- 
stan to himself, as he galloped forward to the scene 
of the mischief. 


CHAPTER XIX. 

When Athelstan Brancepeth left his brothers in 
Fernsham High Street, those graceless young per- 
sons were ripe for the wild project which Radley had 
been the first to propose. 

“ — the sanctimonious prig !” cried Radley, as soon 
as Athelstan had left them. 

It was a strange term to apply to one of his 
brothers, but Giles and Quin echoed the sentiment 
with much heartiness. For it was the first time that 
one of their number had made any opposition to one 
of their lawless escapades. So unaccustomed were 
they to look at any project of theirs in the light in 
which it would appear to ordinary, law-abiding citi- 
zens, that it did not occur to them that this precious 
plan of theirs was any more daring, or more objec- 
tionable, than many they had carried out before. 

Robbery on a lesser scale, the plundering of 
orchards, the pilfering of any money left about their 
16* 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


1 86 

own house by anybody, they had been accustomed to 
from childhood. This new venture was more dan- 
gerous; but the peril had its fascination, and they 
were hardly sober enough to realise what they were 
risking. And they were all three burning with in- 
dignation at the loss to themselves involved in their 
sister’s idiotic return of the jewels which had been 
given to her. They began to feel as if it was Lord 
Ambry who had robbed them, and to believe that 
they were only anxious to recover property which 
had been wrongfully wrested from their needy hands. 

So within a few seconds of Athelstan’s return to 
the Corn Exchange they had stormed the livery- 
stable, mounted the three best horses there, and 
ridden off on their disgraceful errand. 

Giles had enough of his wits about him to take 
certain precautions. They had all come over from 
Culverley in thick overcoats and cloth caps, so that, 
with their coats closely buttoned up, and the peaks 
of their caps drawn down, there was very little to be 
seen of their faces, which were further concealed by 
the silk mufflers round their necks. Now this was 
not much of a disguise, certainly, but as it was pretty 
certain that their identity would be guessed from 
the very nature of the enterprise they were engaged 
in, Giles thought that as long as the person they 
were about to attack could not swear to their faces, 
this was all they need trouble themselves about. He 
reckoned upon the hushing up of the story by an 
understanding between old Sir Giles and Lord 
Ambry, just as many another scandal had been " 
hushed up for them among their own set” before. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


187 

They left the town by the Culverley road, and 
branched off through lanes and over fields, in the 
direction of the road along which Lord Ambry must 
drive on his way back to his place at Croke Hall. 

It was just after they had taken a small fence to 
get into a grass-covered lane which led direct into 
the main road that Giles felt the touch of something 
hard upon his arm, and looking down to see what it 
was, saw that it was something Radley held in his 
hand. 

“ What’s that ?” he asked, startled. 

Radley laughed unpleasantly, and peering into his 
brother’s face, Giles fancied he discerned a sinister 
expression on his younger brother’s features. Even 
Giles, rufifian that he was, felt a cold shiver down his 
back as he knocked up his brother’s hand. 

“ A revolver ! What do you want with a revolver? 
In the d — ’s name, put the beastly thing away. Or 
stay, give it to me.” 

But Radley, laughing again, reined in his horse, so 
that his eldest brother should ride past him. 

What have you got to be frightened about ?” he 
asked, jeeringly. “ I didn’t say I should use it, did I ? 
And it’s just as well to have it on one. On these 
occasions nobody knows exactly what is going to 
happen.” 

“ That’s just it, by — !” said Giles, hoarsely. “ One 
never does. And we want to stop short of murder, 
I suppose?” 

He said this sarcastically, but Radley answered 
in all seriousness, with a sullen, fierce tone which 
alarmed his elder brother, even while it excited him. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


1 88 

Radley was undoubtedly the most vicious and the 
most cruel of the brothers, the one with the most 
coolness and cunning, besides. And where he would 
lead the others, when their blood was up, would gen- 
erally follow with dash and impetuosity. 

'‘If we were to settle the old boy’s hash, quite by 
accident and much against our will,” he said, in a 
whisper, “there’d be nobody to appear against us, 
and the mortgage wouldn’t be foreclosed.” 

“ What rot !” retorted Giles. “ If he didn’t do it, 
his executors would. We’re not going to risk our 
necks on an off-chance like that.” 

Even Giles showed no abhorrence of the deed 
suggested ; it was the consequences only which con- 
cerned him. But riding slowly, as they were now 
doing, down a steep lane, in the drizzling rain, with 
the wet leaves falling from the trees overhead, and 
the long straggling brambles from the hedge occa- 
sionally catching at his clothes, he was in the mood 
to recognise more clearly the nature of the mad 
prank they had in hand, and he began to come to 
the conclusion that the risky game was not worth 
the candle. 

He drew rein suddenly. They were within fifty 
yards of the high-road. 

“ Look here,” said he, gravely, “ I’ve had enough 
of this. Let’s chuck it !” 

Even while he was speaking, Radley’s ears caught 
the sound of wheels and hoofs on the road. 

“ Sh — sh !” said he. “ The old is coming ! 

Listen !” 

They did listen, keeping so still that the slight 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


189 

noise made by their horses as they tossed their heads 
was the only sign of life the whole group gave. And 
they heard the splash-splash of the mud and slush 
in the road as the carriage horses stepped along, 
and the hissing sound of the wheels as they rolled 
along the wet heavy ground. 

“ Chuck it, shall we ?” whispered Radley. 

The words were a sneer, a challenge. Already 
Quin had passed his brothers, and they heard him 
open his clasp-knife, a formidable weapon which he 
always carried, and which had been guilty of many 
a lesser outrage before this. 

“ Hallo ! What’s that for ?” asked Giles, who was 
being carried away by his younger brothers, and who 
began himself to sniff the battle from afar with an 
irrepressible feeling of exhilaration. 

“ To cut the traces,” replied Quin, in a whisper. 

“ Right !” cut in Radley, sharply. “ You settle the 
footman ; Giles will take the coachman. Leave the 
old fox inside to me.” 

The carriage was very near now, jogging along 
in the darkness, the lamps on either side shining 
murkily, like two dim old eyes in the thick, marshy 
mist which gathered under the hedges and rolled in 
a filmy sheet over the fields beyond. 

Suddenly the horses came to a dead stop. The 
old coachman and the young footman, both half- 
benumbed with the damp cold in spite of their fur 
capes, stared about them hazily, not in the least 
understanding what had happened. The lamps, 
indeed, showed them some men on horseback, one 
on each side of them ; but for the first moment they 


190 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


had no suspicion that such an anachronism as a 
highway robbery at the end of the nineteenth cen- 
tury was being committed. 

It was the voice of their master, ringing out 
through the fog which woke them to a knowledge 
of the truth. 

“ Drive on, you fools ! Drive on !” 

The coachman felt for his whip, but it was gone. 
At the same moment he felt a sharp tug at the reins 
in his hands, and the next thing he knew was that he 
was off the box, lying on his back in the road. This 
was Giles’ share of the work. Meanwhile, Quin had 
not been idle. One horse he had already cut loose, 
and he was at work upon the traces of the other, 
when the footman, having recovered his wits, leapt 
off the box and attacked him manfully. 

With an oath. Quin turned upon the lad, slashing 
at him with his open knife. But his assailant was not 
to be shaken off. Seizing Quin’s right hand, the foot- 
man wrestled with him, and succeeded in taking him 
away from the remaining horse, which, however, 
frightened by the noise and commotion, had begun 
to plunge and to rear, and to add a new peril to 
those in which its master stood. Meanwhile, Radley, 
who had opened the carriage door as soon as the 
attack began, was finding his part of the adventure 
more onerous than he had expected. Lord Ambry 
realised the situation with remarkable swiftness, and 
was not inclined to let himself be robbed without a 
struggle. 

Finding that his injunction to the coachman to 
drive on was unheeded, he perceived that he and his 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


I9I 

assailant would have to struggle hand to hand. He 
tried to get out of the carriage, but could not effect 
his purpose. Not a word was spoken by Radley, 
who had, moreover, extinguished the lamp on his side 
by taking it out of its socket and throwing it over 
the hedge. 

But Lord Ambry gave a guess as to the identity 
of the perpetrators of the outrage; and when he 
found himself np match for the young ruffian in 
whose clutches he was, he injudiciously let out his 
suspicions. 

It was when he felt Radley’s hands in the pocket 
of his fur-lined overcoat that his discretion gave way. 

“ I know who you are, you rascals !” he cried, in 
a voice which the other young Brancepeths heard 
also. And if you dare to rob me, you shall be put 
in the dock for it, I promise you !” 

An exclamation of satisfaction broke from Radley’s 
lips. He had got the cases, both of them, and now 
his only care was to take himself and them off as 
quickly as he could. But this was not so easy. The 
old man flew at him, even in the cramped space of 
the carriage, with unexpected fire and fierceness. 

Give up those cases, give them up, I say, or 
by ” 

He had thrown himself upon the thief with so 
much force that Radley found himself flung down 
upon the front seat. Lord Ambry’s hands were upon 
his throat ; he felt himself shaken like a rat. A 
sharp, hissing sound escaped from the young ruffian’s 
lips. 

Ping ! Ping ! 


192 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


There was a cry. Then silence. 

Giles and Radley stood up in the road to listen. 
It had taken the efforts of both of them to reduce 
the young footman to submission, and this they had 
not succeeded in until they had bound his hands 
together tightly with a handkerchief, and thrown him 
into the ditch which ran along one side of the road. 
Even in this plight the plucky lad continued to shout 
for help with all the force of his lungs, without 
heeding the muttered threats of the brothers. 

Giles had from the outset been carried away, as 
usual, by the charm which daring and reckless ad- 
venture had for all the lawless family. He had done 
his share with as much brutality as the others, and 
with considerable enjoyment of the fun. But there 
was something in that little sound which suddenly 
quenched the exhilaration both of Quin and himself. 
They listened; they drew a step nearer each other 
in the darkness. 

But before they had exchanged a word they found 
Radley between them. 

He was panting, breathing so heavily, indeed, that 
Giles thought it was he who had been wounded. 

Hallo !” whispered Giles, hoarsely. 

Radley staggered against him. 

“ Let’s be off! Let’s be off! I've got them !” he 
panted out. 

The brothers stood for a second like men recover- 
ing from a heavy debauch. They realised, as they 
stood huddled together in the mud and slush of the 
roadway, hearing the cries of the footman on the one 
hand, and the scraping and splashing of the near side 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


193 

horse which, still attached to the carriage, had drawn 
the vehicle against a heap of stones, and was strug- 
gling in evident terror to get free, threatening with 
every movement to turn the carriage over on its side. 

“ What — have you done ?” asked Giles, under his 
breath, clutching at his brother. Radley shivered. 

“ It’s all right,” he whispered. I’ve done no more 
than either of you. Let’s get off.” 

One more second they lingered, until a groan from 
under the hedge where the coachman was lying made 
them start. 

Then, with one accord, they turned and ran away. 
Yes, literally ran away, snatching the bridles of the 
three horses, which had been hastily fastened to a 
stake in the hedge. 

They rode back towards Culverley by a circuitous 
way, at the suggestion of Giles. 

The excitement was cooling now; gray light on 
haggard faces and splashed clothes makes many an 
uncanny discovery. They had had their fun; the 
blood had run hot in their veins, and they had in- 
dulged to the full their reckless love of excitement 
and violence. 

Cantering back upon tired horses, heavy-eyed, 
silent, and sullen, the young men opened gates in- 
stead of clearing them, and, as they rode without a 
word up the drive of Culverley Place to the stables, 
and put up their horses themselves very quietly, 
without rousing any of the servants, they began to 
understand in their heart of hearts that even for the 
Brancepeths, the very fine fieur of Kentish aristoc- 
racy, there might be a day of reckoning. 

in 17 


194 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


CHAPTER XX. 

Now Athelstan would have come up with the 
attacking party long before matters had got so far 
but that he had overshot the mark, and joined the 
high-road at a point beyond that at which his brothers 
had stopped Lord Ambry’s carriage. 

He was riding slowly along, not without a doubt 
as to whether he should go on or turn back, when 
the noise of a horse galloping up to him from behind 
caused him to turn in the saddle. 

He saw at once enough to confirm his fears, for 
the broken harness and the trailing reins showed 
that his brothers had successfully accomplished at 
least one part of their projected outrage. Without 
attempting to stop the frightened animal, which had 
passed him before he had realised that it was rider- 
less, Athelstan turned his horse’s head and galloped 
back along the road. 

He had not gone far before he came upon a sight 
which gave him a great shock. In the sickly, weak 
light of a dull, rainy morning, the carriage, now lying 
on its side, a complete wreck, looked to his staring, 
bewildered eyes like a great black hearse. On his 
left hand, under the hedge, lay the motionless body 
of a man ; while from the ditch on the opposite side 
of the road came hoarse cries and moans and en- 
treaties for help. 

Athelstan was off his horse by this time and on 
his knees beside the coachman. Thank heaven, he 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


195 


was not dead ! Being" an elderly man and very heavy, 
he had been completely stunned by the force with 
which he had been dragged down from the box into 
the road; but he was now recovering; and when 
Athelstan had loosened the clothes about his neck, 
he began to revive. 

Athelstan sat him up, and went to the ditch, where 
the footman, exhausted both by his shouts and by 
the struggle in which he had taken part, was lying, 
in a drenched, helpless condition, in the water and 
mud. He had never once lost consciousness, so that 
he had all his wits about him. 

“ His lordship ! Where’s his lordship?” he asked, 
with his teeth chattering. “ Have they killed him ? 
I heard the shots.” 

And then, catching sight of the overturned car- 
riage, he stood with his staring eyes fixed upon it, 
without uttering another word. 

Athelstan shivered. He hesitated to approach the 
vehicle ; and it was the poor, half-drowned lad beside 
him who made the first movement towards it. 

I — I hope it’s all right,” stammered he, as he 
turned the handle of the door which was uppermost. 

The words died upon his lips. For what he saw 
inside was a motionless heap, a shapeless something, 
inert, silent. He called, in a voice which was faint 
and hoarse and weak — 

Lord Ambry !” 

There was no answer, no sound. He and the foot- 
man exchanged looks of horror and fear. Then, 
nerving himself for the discovery which he might 
have to face, he got inside the wrecked vehicle, and 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


196 

lifted bodily in his arms the motionless figure. Blood 
was upon the face, the clothes ; it was still oozing 
through the left sleeve, and trickling down upon the 
broken glass of the window which lay undermost. 

Athelstan looked at his face, put his hand under 
the fur coat. Then he sent forth such a shout as 
made the footman and the old coachman start and 
shiver. 

“ He’s not dead, not dead ! Hooray !” 

It was like the cry of a great schoolboy ; and, more- 
over, he had hardly uttered it when the young giant 
broke out into loud sobs. They had let themselves 
in for a nice thing, those brothers of his ! But at 
least they had not committed murder. He held the 
bald-headed old reprobate as tenderly as a mother 
holds her child upon her knee. 

“ What’s the damage ?” cried he, in cheerful, sten- 
torian tones which made Lord Ambry open his 
eyes. 

“ Matter !” growled he, in most unamiable accents, 
when he saw in whose arms he was. “ Matter I 
Why, the matter is that you d — d young scoundrels 
have put a bullet into me, as you very well know. 
And it’s of no use to turn penitent now, because it’s 
too late.” 

You’d better let me see if I can stop the bleeding, 
anyhow,” said Athelstan, cheerfully. “ Or you’ll find 
that it’ll be too late for you by the time you get home. 
Here.” And he turned to the footman. “ Have you 
got enough life in you to help me get him out ?” 

Between them they got Lord Ambry, still growl- 
ing vengeance, out of the wrecked carriage, upon the 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


197 


cushions of which they placed him, while Athelstan 
took off his coat and examined the wound made by 
the bullet. It was a flesh-wound in the upper part 
of the arm, and it was still bleeding freely, so freely 
indeed that Lord Ambry seemed again to be on the 
point of fainting from loss of blood, as he had done 
once already. 

However, the footman found a brandy-flask in the 
carriage, and Lord Ambry, having swallowed some 
of the stimulant, felt himself equal to another and 
more violent attack upon the man who had saved his 
life. 

“You and your precious brothers are simply the 
curse of this county,” growled he, between the sips 
of brandy. “ And I’m not sure I’m altogether sorry 
you’ve gone so far as this, because it gives me good 
grounds for riding the place of you.” 

Athelstan, who had certainly done what he could 
to repair the wrongs committed by the others, an- 
swered rather hotly — 

“ What do you mean by me and my brothers ? 
I’ve done all I could for you, and ” 

“ It’s of no use to pretend you were not one of 
the gang,” replied Lord Ambry, stubbornly. “You 
always work together, and I don’t know that your 
coming back to see what the damage is was not part 
of the plot.” 

“ What plot?” 

“ Oh, you know well enough. The plot to steal 
the jewelry I had about me. Nobody knew of it 
except your rascally crew.” 

Now these last words revealed the fact that Lord 
17* 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


198 

Ambry had not recognised any one of the Brance- 
peths, but had known them by their actions. So 
Athelstan proceeded to lie stoutly in the interests of 
his brothers. 

My brothers went home from the ball before I 
did, and they scarcely knew what they were doing 
then,” said he. As for me, you can see, I should 
think, that I don’t look as if I’d been in any row or 
scrimmage.” 

Lord Ambry was too ill to argue the point, but 
he was not too ill to look stubborn and unconvinced. 
Athelstan, who was on the lookout for help to get 
the wounded man home, heard the wheels of a car- 
riage, which proved to be that of a party returning 
from the ball. 

They were ready to do all they could; and the 
whole party, consisting of two gentlemen and a lady, 
got out and finished their journey on foot, giving up 
the carriage as an ambulance for the Brancepeths’ 
victims. 

Athelstan volunteered to accompany the three 
wounded men home to Croke Hall, and took his 
place without any thanks from Lord Ambry, whom 
he discovered, as the drive proceeded, to be the least 
seriously injured of the three. The poor old coach- 
man was only partially conscious from time to 
time ; while the young footman was evidently feeling 
severely the effects of his courageous struggles. 

It was a dreary drive. On arriving at the lodge- 
gates, Lord Ambry gave some directions rapidly in 
an undertone to the man who opened them; and 
Athelstan made out that he was ordering the police 


A SPOILT GIRL. 1 99 

to be sent for. The next moment the viscount 
turned to him 

“ You can consider yourself in custody,” said he, 
shortly, “ until something more has been found out 
about this affair.” 

Athelstan reddened and looked anxious. But it 
was not for himself. He had no fear that they would 
be able to fasten any of the guilt of this escapade 
on him. But he might be made to implicate his 
brothers if he were skilfully cross-examined, and 
then the long immunity enjoyed by the family would 
be over. 

He was shown into a large, handsome square 
room, the walls of which, to within three or four feet 
of the ceiling, were entirely panelled with books. 
Under a heavy, hooded stone chimney-piece there 
burned a small fire, more for the sake of cheerfulness 
than for warmth, for the room was heated by hot 
pipes, which ran round the walls, screened by an 
ornamental grating underneath the lowest of the 
book-shelves. 

Athelstan, who was angry at the treatment he was 
receiving, turned abruptly to the servant who showed 
him into the room. 

“ How long am I to remain here ?” he asked, 
sharply. 

But the only answer he received was the turning 
of the key in the lock outside the door. 

The room was lighted by a brass lamp, which 
stood upon a table near the fireplace. It was not 
fully turned up, so that the light it gave was meagre. 
But Athelstan, as he glanced round him in search 


200 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


of a way of escape, saw a movement behind one of 
the long, heavy curtains which shut off the bay con- 
taining the windows. Springing towards the curtain, 
he drew it back, and discovered a couple of stalwart 
men-servants armed each with a stout stick. 

He reeled back, feeling dizzy and sick. So then, 
it was thought necessary to guard him as if he had 
been a wild beast. The men clutched their weapons, 
evidently expecting an attack. But he retreated very 
quietly to the table and sank into the big, square, 
morocco-covered library chair, and stretching his legs 
out, thrust his hands into his pockets and stared 
gloomily at the puny flickering light of the fire. 

The house of Brancepeth was crumbling, indeed, 
and he could not even get home to warn his brothers 
of what was coming. 


CHAPTER XXL 

Harry had returned home from the ball in a mood 
of black despair, which was more than the natural 
reaction after the excitement of the ball and the 
pleasure of Hubert’s society. 

She knew what she had done, and realised the 
desperate position in which her refusal to marry 
either Lord Ambry or Hubert Besils had placed her. 
It was upon her marriage with a rich man that her 
brothers had counted for reinstating the family in 
their old position for rescuing them from the diffl- 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


201 


culty into which their own thriftless extravagance 
had plunged them. 

And yet she could not regret either of the two 
momentous steps she had taken that night. Now 
that she knew what love was ; now that the womanly 
heart in her had been touched, indeed, she could not 
marry a man like Lord Ambry, who was now per- 
sonally distasteful and repulsive to her. On the 
other hand, she could not burden the man she cared 
for with the needs and importunities, the scandals and 
the scrapes of her graceless brothers, only one of 
whom seemed capable of better things. 

So that there seemed nothing before them all but 
ruin, dire, complete, disgraceful, and, morever, hastened 
by her action. 

Harry did not cry : it would have been better far 
if she had. She sat back silently in her corner with 
her eyes closed pretending to be asleep, but betray- 
ing herself to the eyes of her watchful aunt by the 
set expression of her white, handsome face, which 
Lady Maggie could see by the light of the carriage 
lamps. 

It was when the drive was nearly over that Lady 
Maggie’s tiny hand crept softly under the arm of 
her silent niece. Harry was not a girl whose confi- 
dence it was easy to get : she was reserved and reti- 
cent about those things which affected her most 
deeply. But Lady Maggie, who saw and heard 
more than she ever confessed, knew more about the 
state of affairs than Harry would have thought pos- 
sible. The girl was startled to hear her aunt’s thin, 
flute-like voice saying, close to her ear — 


202 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


** My dear, you have done quite right, quite right. 
You have behaved like an honourable woman. I 
am sorry for you, dear, very sorry for you. But — 
you are quite right, quite right.” 

Harry made no answer in words : she was afraid 
of breaking down. But she gently returned the 
pressure of her aunt’s little hand. 

Harry was too anxious, too restless to go to bed. 
She felt that the manner in which her brothers had 
gone off by themselves instead of returning as they 
had come, boded some sort of mischief She ex- 
changed her ball-dress for a warm dressing-gown, 
and sat by her window, which was at the front of 
the house, watching for their return. 

If she had been in a less anxious frame of mind 
she would have gone to bed, wearied out with wait- 
ing and watching long before they made their ap- 
pearance. For by the time they rode up the drive 
to the stables the morning had broken, and it was 
light enough, even under the trees of the place, for 
her to scrutinise every detail of their disorderly and 
even ghastly appearance. 

Blood-stained, covered with mud, with torn clothes 
and heavy haggard faces, the three brothers, as they 
came up the drive in single file on their tired horses, 
presented to their sister’s horror-stricken eyes a 
spectacle which she never forgot. 

What had they done? Though she could not 
guess the truth, Harry knew that some fearful mis- 
fortune had happened, and that the return of her 
brothers was bringing the shadow of some new dis- 
grace upon the old home. She could not rest until 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


203 


she had found out what it was ; so, opening her door 
very quietly, she slipped down the staircase, and 
seating herself on a corner of the divan in the inner 
hall, waited for her brothers to come in from the 
stables. 

They entered the house almost without noise — an 
unusual and bad sign. And they went straight into 
the dining-room and shut themselves in without 
rousing the household, in their customary manner, 
to attend to their wants. 

Harry crossed the hall softly and listened at the 
door. Even if she had been brought up to more 
scrupulous niceties of conduct, Harry would have 
felt justified in this act of eavesdropping; for long 
before she had heard a word she knew that it was no 
ordinary escapade in which they had been engaged. 

The fir^t words she overheard gave her so great a 
shock that she could scarcely refrain from betraying 
herself by a scream. 

The voice was Radley’s. \ 

“ I tell you I didn’t kill him. I didn’t do him as 
much harm as you did to the other poor devils. If 
any one of them goes off to hooks after the business 
it will be the old man you dragged off the box !” 

Then Giles spoke in a sullen tone. 

“ It’s a bad business.” 

** Oh, well,” said Radley, who seemed by his tone 
to be much less affected than either of the others, 
“ it couldn’t be helped. And we’ve got the jewelry 
at any rate. Look ! It will fetch enough money to 
take us away, if necessary ” 

“ Let’s hope it won’t come to that,” interrupted 


204 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


Giles. They didn’t recognise any of us, that I’ll 
swear. Of course we shall be suspected, but that’s 
nothing. We’re suspected of everything that goes 
wrong in the county, from a lost hen to a church on 
fire. It was a good thing, as it happens, that Athel- 
stan wasn’t with us. As they are generally four of 
us to any mischief, the number three will puzzle ’em ! 
By the bye, what’s become of Athelstan, I wonder ?” 

Oh, never mind him. Let’s have something to 
eat and drink. I’m hungry, and my throat’s like a 
limekiln,” said Quin, speaking for the first time, and 
with as much unconcern as if the outrage had been 
a very trifling matter. 

You’re a cool hand for a young ’un,” said Radley. 

“Well,” said his youngest brother quite cheer- 
fully, “what’s the use of making so much fuss, just 
because we’ve gone a little bit further than usual ? It 
will all blow over, as it always does, and in the mean 
time we can enjoy ourselves with the money we get 
on the jewelry. And after all, they were ours, that 
is — Harry’s. And it’s her fault, not ours, that there 
has been all this bother about getting them back 
from the mean old hunks.” 

This novel view of the circumstances made his 
brothers laugh, and they sat down to the table, where 
some cold meat, some wine, and soda-water had been 
prepared for their possible needs. Harry stole away 
from the door, went to her room, and put on her hat 
and her riding-habit. She had made up her mind 
what to do. Then she waited in her own room, with 
her door ajar, until her three brothers came up to bed. 

It was broad daylight by this time, the daylight 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


205 


of a dull and misty December morning. Nobody 
was yet stirring, for the household was not an early 
one. In a few minutes Harry stole softly out upon 
the landing and listened at the door of Giles’s room. 
He was so much accustomed to a bad conscience 
that it in no way affected his slumbers. He had no 
sooner settled his head upon his pillow than he was 
asleep. His sister, hearing by his breathing that this 
was the case, turned the handle of his door and went 
in. She felt in the pockets of his clothes, in the 
wardrobe, and at last under his pillow. And it was 
here that she discovered the jewels. 

Harry set her teeth hard as she dashed the tears 
from her eyes. She was fond of her brothers, and 
now her heart felt very sore, very tender, as she 
looked at the tired face of the sleeping man, and 
realised the terrible situation in which he, and Rad- 
ley, and Quin had placed themselves by this last 
and worst outrage. % 

She must save them if she could from the con- 
sequences of their folly, their crime. But, even as 
she, with trembling hands, drew the jewels from under 
the pillow and crept out of the room with them, 
she felt that her heart failed her. She could restore 
them to their owner; but could she soften him? 
If she had cared for Lord Ambry, it would have 
been easy enough. But as it was, she was doubtful 
of her own powers. It was with a mind full of mis- 
givings that, having saddled her horse with her own 
hands and led him out of the stable just as the men 
were coming in to their work, she began her long ride 
to Croke Hall. 

18 


206 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


It was nearly eight o’clock in the morning when 
Harry passed through the lodge-gates of Lord Am- 
bry’s mansion and rode up the avenue to the house. 
The door was opened even before she had time to 
dismount. 

She could scarcely command her voice, so full of 
fear was she as to what she might hear in answer to 
her words : 

“ Will you ask Lord Ambry if I can see him ? 
You know who I am — Miss Brancepeth.” 

The man showed her in, and ushered her into a 
long, cold drawing-room, the shutters of which he 
proceeded to open, with apologies. 

She was standing, deaf, unheeding, full of unspeak- 
able joy that the worst at least had not happened. 
Lord Ambry was not dead : her brothers’ crime had 
stopped short of murder. 

She was left alone for about twenty minutes ; then 
a lady entered, whom she had never seen before, but 
whom she recognised by the likeness to Lord Ambry 
as his eldest married daughter. Lady Barrington 
was rather short, rather stout, with hard eyes and a 
straight mouth. Her manner was stiff and cold. 

“ I am sorry, Miss Brancepeth, that you cannot 
see my father. Perhaps you have not heard that he 
was attacked last night by some ruffians, on his way 
home from Fernsham, and that he is ill in bed.” 

“ I am very, very sorry to hear this,” said Hariy, 
in a low voice. 

Then she debated within herself what she should 
do. She saw at once that Lady Barrington would 
not allow her to see Lord Ambry ; that his daughter 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


207 


would be only too glad that the engagement was 
broken off, and would put all possible obstacles in 
the way of a meeting and possible reconciliation 
between her father and Harry. With him, Harry 
felt, she would have had at least a chance a woman 
always has with a man ; and, with the jewels in her 
hand, she might have done something to mitigate his 
anger. But to give them into the hands of this 
coldly vindictive-looking woman would be, so Harry 
thought, to put a proof of her brothers’ guilt into 
inimical hands. This was not to be thought of. 
The next words Lady Barrington uttered confirmed 
the girl in her resolve. 

“ Considering who the persons were who attacked 
my father, I must confess that I am astonished to 
see you here this morning. Miss Brancepeth.” 

“ Who were the persons ?” asked Harry, firmly. 

Lady Barrington slightly raised her eyebrows. 

We have reason to think they were your brothers. 
In fact, we have one of them in the house now, wait- 
ing for the arrival of the police.” 

In a moment Harry, on hearing this, had recovered 
all her spirit, nerve, and fire. 

“ Let me see him,” said she. 

It was not an entreaty, it was a demand. Lady 
Barrington hesitated. But the next moment she dis- 
covered that her visitor was not the sort of person 
who can be put off with excuses when she has made 
up her mind. 

Harry was already at the door. 

“ You are very impatient,” said Lady Barrington, 
almost fretfully. 


208 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


I mean to see him.” 

Harry was in the hall, trying the doors of the 
other rooms. A man-servant, evidently on guard, 
made a movement towards the door of the library, 
and thus gave her the clue she wanted. 

She brushed the man’s hand sharply aside, and 
turned the key, which was in the lock. 

The next moment she was in the room, which was 
still shut up, and lighted only by the dying lamp 
and the dwindling fire. 

“ Athelstan, Athelstan !” cried she, hoarsely. 

The young man started up from the arm-chair and 
caught his sister in his arms. 

At the same instant there was a stir — a commotion 
in the hall. Something had happened. 

“ What is the matter ?” asked Athelstan, as another 
man darted into the room, and exchanged a hurried 
whisper with the two men who had been on guard 
behind the curtains. 

“ Sir,” answered the man at once, in a voice full 
of regret and alarm, “ I am very sorry, but I suppose 
I may as well tell you — the coachman, the one that 
was hurt last night — is dead, sir. And — and the 
police are here, sir.” 

The hands of brother and sister closed together 
with a tighter grip, and the silent look that flashed 
from eye to eye was one of despair. 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


209 


CHAPTER XXII. 

Now there was between Hariy Brancepeth and 
her brother Athelstan a bond even stronger than 
that which existed between her and the rest of her 
brothers. The two had always been chums.” But 
the friendship had been cemented lately by their 
mutual discovery that they were in love ; and 
although they had not exchanged many confidences 
on the subject of their unlucky attachments, each 
was in sympathy with the other. 

When, therefore, they heard the terrible words 
which told them their brothers had not only been 
guilty of murder, but that the police were already on 
their track, they were for a moment speechless with 
horror. 

Then Harry whispered — 

“ You had nothing to do with it, at least, had 
you ?” 

“ Nothing in the world, except that I did all I 
could for them, and that I really think I saved Lord 
Ambry’s life,” whispered he back. 

“ Thank God !” 

For another minute they remained silent, so be- 
numbed with the misery and disgrace which had fallen 
upon them that they could not think or form any 
plan of action. 

This temporary paralysis helped them in a way 
they could not have anticipated, but which Harry 
presently perceived and took advantage of. The 


210 


A SPOIL T GIRL. 


servants who had been on guard in the study since 
Athelstan’s arrival at the mansion had found their 
prisoner so docile that they supposed him to be 
cowed and spiritless. They were, moreover, touched 
by the clinging affection, the despair, which both 
brother and sister showed on their meeting. 

So that the door of the room was left open, and 
even the man who had stood outside the door, 
probably considering that the arrival of the police 
was his signal for being off duty, had turned his head 
away to watch the police-sergeant as he went into the 
dining-room, followed by two constables. 

Harry, with a woman’s quickness, grasped the 
situation even in the midst of her misery. It flashed 
into her mind that they would certainly try to detain 
her as well as Athelstan, in order that the others 
might be seized at once before they had been warned. 
And if she were detained, the discovery that she had 
the stolen jewels on her person would assuredly fol- 
low; and this would incriminate the unlucky family 
still further. So she whispered — 

They can’t do anything to you, can they ?” 

“ I don’t think so.” 

“You could get av/ay now if you liked by making 
a dash for it. And I would meet you outside, and 
we would make shift to ride back home on my horse 
together ?” 

Athelstan considered a moment. 

“ That would never do. I’m not going to run 
away. It would be the worst thing I could do — 
for everybody. But you’re different. Get away if 
you can, and warn the ojthers. Tell them not to run 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


21 1 


away, but to take precautions, to make up a story, to 
do the best they can for themselves. Tell them not 
to be scared. Lord Ambry will be willing to give 
them a chance, I should think, for my father’s sake. 
You know they are old friends. I shall try to see 
Lord Ambry. If the boys were taken up it would 
kill my father. You know that.” 

But — listen. I have got the jewelry ! I took it 
from under Giles’s pillow. I wanted to give it back to 
Lord Ambry. But he won’t see me. What shall I 
do with it ?” 

“ Upon my soul I don’t know,” whispered poor 
Athelstan, alarmed to see how closely the net seemed 
to be tightening round their feet. “ At any rate you 
must get away. I don’t suppose they will dare to 
stop youy 

Harry, who was still clinging to her brother, hold- 
ing his hand, turned quickly and strode to the door 
without another word. She guessed there-^was a 
danger of her being detained, so the only leave-tak- 
ing she indulged in was a slight pressure of Athel- 
stan s hand as she let it go. 

As she had expected, there was a movement among 
the servants. The man who stood at the door barred 
the way, apologizing as he did so. But Harry drew 
herself up, and, looking the man straight in the face, 
asked by whose authority he dared to detain her. 

“ The police, ma’am,” said he respectfully, in a low 
voice. 

For a moment the girl felt dizzy and sick. It had 
come to this, then, that the whole family, the proud 
Brancepeths, were under surveillance. Then she re- 


212 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


covered her nerve, remembering how much depended 
upon her speedy return home. By a rapid and un- 
expected movement she threw her whole weight, 
that of a tall, well-developed young woman of ex- 
ceptional muscle and agility, upon the man’s out- 
stretched arm. He gave way ; but recovering him- 
self quickly, he called his fellow-servants to his 
assistance, and pursued her through the hall. 

Fortunately for her, the footman who stood be- 
tween her and the front door, when she reached the 
outer hall untouched, was moved by a chivalrous 
impulse on seeing the beautiful lady’s white face and 
haggard, sad eyes. 

His fellow-servants, calling, pursuing, were not yet 
in sight. He heard their cries, “ Don’t open the 
door ! Keep the door shut !” and by a first impulse 
he barred the way. But the next, he himself turned 
and drew back the bolt. 

“ Quick, ma’am ! The horse is on the left !” he 
whispered, as she flew past him without a word, but 
with one grateful look from her wild eyes. 

She leapt the flight of steps at one bound, snatched 
the reins of her horse from the servant who was 
holding them, and, springing into the saddle like a 
bird, was tearing through the park towards the gate 
before her pursuers had got farther than the front 
door. 

She had not reached the lodge-gates, however, 
when she perceived that here was a more effectual 
barrier. The lodge-keeper had evidently been warned 
not to let anyone go out, for even the little side-gate 
was shut, and the man, who was standing under the 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


213 


porch, retired into his lodge at her summons, instead 
of coming out. It would be waste of time to try to 
cajole him. 

Her sense of the danger her brothers ran was get- 
ting stronger as each fresh obstacle presented itself 
Get home she must, she must, if her horse dropped 
dead at the stable-doors ! 

The fence round the park was high, and protected 
at the top with that terror of all riders, barbed wire. 
Nevertheless, she must take all risks and go over it, 
since egress by the gate was denied to her. Turning 
her horse’s head sharply, she rode over the wet grass 
at an easy canter, with her lips pressed tightly 
together. Already the swift motion through the 
cold morning air was doing her good, benumbing 
her agitated mind, relieving the tension which was 
causing her temples to throb and her heart to beat as 
if it would burst. 

The lodge-keeper saw her intention, but was power- 
less to do more than shout to her to stop. For 
answer Harry touched her horse with her little whip. 

“ Steady, my beauty ! Now, over you go !” she 
cried, in a tone which the animal understood and 
obeyed. 

Responding to his mistress’s call, he took the fence 
as lightly and easily as if it had been but a couple 
of feet high. Harry drew a long breath. Patting 
her horse’s neck, and smiling once more, she nodded 
triumphantly to the lodge-keeper, who stood, with 
his face pressed against the iron work of the gate, a 
not altogether unwilling witness of her escape. 

It was the most ironical part of the fate of the 


214 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Brancepeths that their escapades dazzled even the 
victims of them, and the unconcealed admiration of 
the country folk for the very pranks they deprecated 
encouraged the scapegraces to fresh outrage. 

Harry in particular, being not only a woman, but 
a very beautiful one, got pity instead of blame for 
all her caprices. Everybody said that she was as gen- 
erous-hearted as she was wilful, and that, when she 
was with the gang, they were at least sure of com- 
pensation from the trespassers. 

All the way home the one thought dominated all 
others in Harry’s mind : she must get the boys to 
stand their ground. For Harry knew that the moral 
courage of Radley and Giles was not so great as the 
physical callousness which enabled them to face 
immediate danger to their persons. She was afraid 
that they might be seized by panic, and, by running 
away, owned themselves beaten before the battle was 
begun. 

The sun had begun to shine through the mist and 
fog by the time she rode up to the gate of Culverley 
Place. It was half-past nine, and in the usual course 
of things the family would have been at breakfast. 
Harry had her hands upon the latch of the gate, 
when, stooping in her saddle to lift the latch, she 
saw under the trees a horse, saddled and bridled, 
but without a rider. The animal had evidently been 
ridden some distance at a smart pace; for he was 
splashed with mud and breathing hard ; his coat was 
wet and his flanks were heaving. 

Harry wondered what this portended; in her 
anxiety small things seemed of grave import. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


215 


A little wiry lad, whose face seemed familiar to 
her, ran out from the back of the house, and running 
towards the horse as fast as his legs could carry him, 
sprang into the saddle and turned the animal’s head 
towards the gate. When he saw Harry, his face, 
which had been white before, grew suddenly crimson. 

Harry passed through the gate and barred the 
lad’s progress. 

What are you doing here ? Where do you come 
from ?” she asked. 

Even as she spoke, she recognised him as one 
of the stable lads from Croke Hall. He answered 
stammering, but Harry saw that he was telling the 
truth — 

If you please, ma’am. I’ve come — on the quiet — 
to tell the young gentlemen — that — ^that — if you 
please, ma’am — they’ve sent for a warrant — cos’ the 
coachman’s died.” 

He uttered the last words in a mysterious whisper. 

Harry was dumb. Here was another most terrible 
proof how strongly suspicion was running in the 
direction of her brothers. A little flicker of sickly 
hope, however, made her stammer out — 

“ You have been sent to tell them ? Lord Ambry 
sent you ?” 

But he shook his head decidedly. 

“ Oh, no, ma’am, not Lord Ambry. It’s he as has 
sent for the warrant. It’s one of the grooms sent 
me. 

Harry’s heart sank again. She tried to put a brave 
face on the matter, although she knew that it was 
only a farce to do so. After all, there was one rock 


2i6 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


upon which to fall back — Lord Ambry’s friendship 
for Sir Giles. He would never allow this matter to 
go fatally far while Sir Giles lived, that for certain. 
In decency it was impossible for him to do so. 

“ Thank you,” she said to the lad, in as steady a 
voice as she could produce. “ I don’t know how this 
can concern my brothers ; I don’t know what it all 
means. But I thank you for your trouble. Who 
did you see ?” 

She was suddenly anxious for the answer. 

The lad hesitated ; he looked guilty and confused. 

“ Please, ma’am, I didn’t see nobody ’ceptin’,” he 
dropped his voice — “ ’ceptin’ Sir Giles.” 

“Sir Giles! My father!” cried Harry, quickly, 
in a voice of alarm. “What — what did you tell 
him ?” 

“ I told ’im there was a warrant out, or was goin’ 
to be,” answered the lad, looking more frightened 
than before. 

The blood seemed to run cold in Harry’s veins. 

“ What did he say ? How did he take it ?” she 
asked, hoarsely, already moving towards the house. 

The tone in which the lad answered her told her 
that he shared her own fears. 

“ He took it awful strange, ma’am,” he answered, 
in a shaking voice. “ He just mumbled something, 
an’ made a gaspin’ noise, and then said nothin’. 
And I w^as afraid he was angry with me for telling 
him ; an’ I run av/ay.” 

Harry waited for no more. She was off her horse 
and inside the house in an instant. The butler was 
standing at the hall door, watching the boy. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 21 / 

My father — Sir Giles !” cried she, in a shivering 
voice. 

The man answered quietly enough. 

“ He is in the dining-room, ma’am, at breakfast.” 

Harry felt reassured. 

“ And my brothers ?” 

“ The young gentlemen went out about an hour 
ago, ma’am,” answered the butler, who, if he knew 
anything, evidently did not know much of the night’s 
proceedings. But then the escapades of the young 
gentlemen were so frequent that it took a good deal 
to rouse the servants of the household to excitement 
on such a subject. ‘‘All but Mr. Athelstan: he’s 
not been home all night, ma’am.” 

Harry threw down her whip upon one of the hall 
tables and entered the dining-room. No one was in 
it except her father, who was sitting, with his back 
towards her when she came in, in his usual place at the 
head of the table. Even Lady Maggie was not there. 

Harry, upon whom a great fear had fall^, ap- 
proached her father with a gentle tread. 

“Father!” she called, as soon as she was near 
enough to put her hand on his shoulder. 

But he did not move. 

For a moment she remained standing beside him, 
without moving her hand from his shoulder, without 
looking down. She knew what had happened : she 
had foreseen what must happen, if such a terrible 
announcement as that about the warrant for the 
arrest of his sons were made to him suddenly. She 
felt the need of a few moments’ preparation before 
she had to realise the truth. 

19 


K 


2I8 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Then she went slowly down on her knees, and 
shutting her eyes, leaned her face against his shoulder. 

“ Father,” she whispered, you can’t hear me, and 
I’m glad of it. I’m glad, my dear, dear old father, 
that you won’t see the horrible, horrible end that’s 
got to come to the old place and to all of us. I’m 
glad. I’m glad !” 

But as she spoke, the tears and sobs which she 
had so long suppressed burst from her ; and when 
Lady Maggie entered the room a few minutes later, 
followed by the butler, they found poor Harry in a 
paroxysm of grief, clasping her dead father in her 
arms. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

Sir Giles Brancepeth had been a bad father, in 
that he had neglected the moral training of his chil- 
dren and encouraged them in the lawless conduct in 
which they delighted : but he had been a very indul- 
gent one, and Harry had loved him passionately. 

Now she had not only to suffer her own sense of 
a great personal loss, but to realise that his death 
involved the utter ruin of the family. She had 
secretly hoped that Lord Ambry would not even 
foreclose the mortgage on the estate as long as old 
Sir Giles lived. She had believed it impossible for 
her brothers to be put on trial for their recent outrage 
during his lifetime. 

Now both these hopes were dashed to the ground. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


219 


Her aunt led the girl away into another room, and 
tried to console her; but in truth Lady Maggie 
wanted comfort herself. The news that her nephews 
had been guilty of some worse outrage than usual 
had reached her ears ; and the sudden disappearance 
of three of them and the non-appearance of the other 
filled her with uneasiness only less than that which 
was felt by her better-informed niece. 

At last Harry, arousing herself from the lethargy 
of misery into which she had fallen, sprang up from 
the floor where she had been sitting in a crouching 
position at her aunt’s knees. 

“ Aunt Maggie !” she cried, I’m only making 
you more miserable, and getting no comfort myself. 
I must go out. Unless — unless,” she added, in a 
gentler tone, “ you want me ? Unless I can do any- 
thing?” 

The ready tears sprang to Lady Maggie’s eyes. 
This was a sign of the change which had appeared 
in Harry lately, that she was considerate of others. 

“ How kind you are getting, dear!” she said, in- 
nocently, as she wiped her eyes. 

Harry reddened. 

“ You ought to say, How unkind I’ve always been. 
Aunt Maggie I” 

No, no, my dear,” replied Lady Maggie, quickly. 

It’s natural for young people to be thoughtless. I 
have never thought you unkind. Go out into the 
air. It will do you good.” 

Now Lady Maggie was almost as much to blame as 
her brother-in-law himself had been in spoiling her 
niece and her nephews by unwise indulgence. And 


220 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


she did, in a way, recognise and repent this. Gentle, 
affectionate, and rather weak, it had been so much 
easier to her to suffer for their faults than to correct 
them. Harry saw this dimly too ; and as she kissed 
her aunt before leaving her, she looked at her with 
a mournful, wistful expression which went nigh to 
breaking Lady Maggie's heart. 

A minute later Harry was in the orchard. 

It was not wholly for the relief of the fresh air 
that she has been anxious to escape from the house. 
She wanted to find her brothers. What could their 
sudden disappearance, after an unusually early break- 
fast, mean but that they had taken fright and run 
away, instead of standing their ground like men of 
courage ? 

In that case where would they have gone to ? 

She went round to the stables and learned that 
they had not taken their horses, but that they had 
given orders that the three mounts they had hired 
at Fernsham the night before should be v/ell- 
groomed and taken back to the town without delay. 

They could not, therefore, have gone far, she 
thought. It was, of course, possible that they had 
gone off by train ; and that they had walked to the 
station. But this was hardly likely, as the appear- 
ance of the Brancepaths on foot would certainly 
arouse more attention than if they had been on 
horseback. She thought it probable, therefore, that 
they were hiding about the grounds waiting to see 
what turn affairs would take before they decided on 
a definite line of conduct. 

She waded through the wet grass of the orchard 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


221 


and whistled softly, that unladylike accomplishment 
being one of the few in which she was proficient. 

There was no sound in answer. 

She went farther away from the house, looking 
eagerly around her through the vistas formed by the 
almost leafless cherry-trees. Penetrating gradually 
as far as the fence which divided the orchard of the 
Brancepeths from that which belonged to the Vicar- 
age she stopped suddenly : the memory of the night 
on which she had stood there with Hubert suddenly 
overcame her, and she leaned against one of the 
wooden posts of the fence and shut her eyes tightly 
to keep the tears back. 

A hand, large, warm, firm of touch, was placed 
suddenly upon hers. Harry looked up at once, and 
struggled violently but vainly to free herself. 

The hand was Hubert’s. 

Finding her efforts to release her own fingers were 
useless, Harry tried another course of action.^ She 
suddenly ceased to struggle and confronted her 
captor fiercely. 

Do you intend to detain me against my will, Mr. 
Besils ?” 

Yes. It is the least you deseiwe for your treat- 
ment of me last night.” 

Pie perceived as soon as her eyes met his that 
something had happened, something of great mo- 
ment. And at once he let her hand go. 

You are in some trouble, some grief,” he said, in 
a voice full of sympathy. Can’t I help you ? Isn’t 
there anything I can do ?” 

Harry began to tremble, and Hubert saw how 


222 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


worn her fresh young face had, in the course of a 
few hours, become. 

‘‘ If you can bring a dead man to life,’^ she said, 
in a voice which had lost its youthfulness, “ you can 
help. Not otherwise.” 

Hubert, who had already heard a rumour that the 
brothers had been in mischief again, was shocked. 

“ A dead man !” echoed he. 

Harry’s voice shook as she said — 

My father is dead. And — and — that is not all. 
But I — I have no right to trouble you. I had 
forgotten.” 

The events of the previous evening, her rupture 
with Lord Ambry, her encouragement of Hubert, 
and her final repulse when he pressed his suit, had 
faded from her mind, thrust out indeed by the suc- 
cession of vivid shocks she had since had to sustain. 
Now the meeting with Hubert brought them all 
back, and she grew on the instant crimson with a 
young girl’s modest shame. 

Passing her hand over her hot forehead she said, in 
atone the touching humility of which moved Hubert 
to acute compassion — 

I — I behaved badly to you, I am afraid, last 
night. I — I let you think I was weaker, sillier than 
I am. I couldn’t help it. I was selfish ; I wanted 
to have just one happy evening.” 

“ Well, so did I. And I am very grateful to you 
for having let me have it. Don’t worry your head 
about me. Now tell me : I don’t want to force your 
confidence; but if you are worried about your 
brothers ” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


223 


She started violently : 

“ What 1 Have you heard ? Is it all over the 
place already ?” 

“ I have heard that they got into some scrape last 
night. But — well, I often hear that. And the next 
thing I hear is that they have got out again.” 

Harry sighed heavily ; 

“ They won’t out of this. It is ruin, ruin for us 
all, this time. It has killed my father. And that is 
only the beginning.” 

She was dry-eyed, despairing, quite cold in voice 
and manner. Nothing about her invited sympathy. 
Hubert was more alarmed than he allowed himself 
to appear. 

What could he do, what could he say, in the face 
of this stony sorrow ? If he had had the rights of 
a lover, he could have drawn her into his arms and 
whispered loving words of comfort and consolation. 
But her grief seemed to have bound her heart in 
ice ; she was like a statue, cold, beautiful, impassive. 
Hubert dared not obtrude his own passion upon this 
erect, proud-eyed creature, who had recovered in a 
few moments from the pretty feminine impulse of 
confusion she had experienced on recalling the events 
of the ball. 

She heaved a deep sigh and turned away towards 
the house. 

“ Harry! Harry!” he called in an imploring whis- 
per, “ don’t go away like that !” 

Just for one moment she paused, she seemed to 
hesitate. It was enough for Hubert. The next instant 
he had got over the fence and taken her in his arms. 


224 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


The girl’s cold composure gave way at once ; the 
tears came, and she sobbed so violently that Hubert, 
in alarm, tried to check her passionate expression of 
grief. 

Don’t, don’t stop me !” she sobbed. I want to 
cry, oh, I want to ! It is happiness, yes, happiness 
after what — what I have been feeling this morn- 
ing.” 

So she sobbed herself out, with his arm round 
her, his hand wiping the tears from her face. Then 
quite suddenly she held him at arm’s length, and 
looking into his face with an expression of pleading 
sadness which wrung his very heart-strings, she said 
in a broken voice — 

*^Now go. Go, I implore you. You have given 
me one last happiness, for I know you love me ; I 
thank God for that. But you have got to go away 
and forget me now. And I — I have got to forget 
you.” 

“ No, no, Harry. You shall not forget me. You 
must be my wife, darling, my wife. You won’t re- 
fuse the shelter of my arms now, will you ?” 

He was drawing her to him again. But with a 
face full of terror, the girl struggled to free herself 
from him. But he was too strong for her, and again 
she had to submit to his passionate kiss. For one 
moment he thought he had conquered the strong 
will, pnd that she would submit, like any other home- 
less, fiitherless girl, to accept the shelter of the name 
and the home, the loving arms, the helping hands, 
of the man she loved. 

But even while this thought was intoxicating 


A SPOILT GIRL. 225 

Harry’s lover, the girl was steadfast in her resolve 
still. 

Let me go now, Hubert ,” she whispered, in a 
voice which sent a sudden chill through his blood. 

“ Will you promise — will you promise ” stam- 

mered he, as she drew herself away from him. 

In a voice full of inexpressible sadness she 
answered — 

“ I promise — that you shall — hear from me again.” 

In the momentary shock which the tone of her 
voice gave him she had got quite free. She stood a 
little way from him and pressed her hands against 
her breast. As she did so she uttered a suppressed 
shriek, and the colour which Hubert’s kisses had 
brought into her face suddenly left it. 

What is it ? You are ill !” cried he. 

She did not answer. She was looking with wild 
eyes at something which glittered in her hand. And 
then he recognised the necklace he had himself 
fastened round her neck on the previous evening 

“ Oh, what shall I do with them ?” she whispered. 

And then she told him hurriedly the whole story 
of her finding them under her brother’s pillow, after 
she had overheard the story of the robbery ; how 
she had ridden to Croke Hall to restore them to 
their owner, and how she had been forced to return 
without having given them up. 

“ What shall I do ?” she repeated, when she had 
told him the whole story. I ought to give them 
back to Lord Ambry, and it is just possible, isn’t it? 
that he would be softened a little by getting them 
back. On the other hand, my giving them back 


226 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


would have been fresh proof against my brothers, 
wouldn’t it ?” 

“ Look here,” said Hubert, after a few minutes 
spent in reflection, “ will you trust them to me ? I 
will take them over to Croke Hall, and either confess 
how I came by them, or not, just as may seem best 
for your brothers. I’m afraid, though, that if the 
coachman is really dead the matter will be out of 
Lord Ambry’s hands. In the circumstances, I’m not 
at all sure that they are not wise to keep out of the 
way.” 

Harry shuddered. Then she glanced hurriedly 
around and bent her head in a listening attitude. 

” Did you hear anything ?” she whispered. 

No, Hubert had heard nothing. 

Perhaps it is the guilty family conscience !” she 
said, with an attempt at a smile. ‘‘ I want you to 
promise that you will go at once, that you will not 
keep those things” — and she glanced at the jewels 
in his hands with a shiver of disgust — “ in your 
house a minute longer than you can help. They — 
they’re unlucky !” she finished with a husky whisper. 

“ Very well. I will have the mare saddled, and 
will go off at once. Will that satisfy you ?” 

He spoke with a tender intonation ; but the new 
fear connected with the jewels had frozen up again 
all the springs of affection within her. She was like 
a statue of terror as she stood with one hand out, 
motioning him away. 

With many misgivings at his heart, Hubert vaulted 
over the fence between the orchards, and crossing 
the grass almost at a run, in obedience to her wishes, 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


227 

disappeared behind the bushes of the Vicarage 
garden. 

Harry stood by the fence watching him. When 
he was out of sight she was slowly turning to go 
back into the house when her attention was attracted 
by the crackling of branches some distance to the 
right. She made a dash in the direction whence the 
sound came. Then there was silence. But she 
waited, full of suspicions, and knelt down in the wet 
grass of the orchard behind the hedge, which was, 
at this point, thick enough to hide her person. And 
in a few seconds she heard the sound again, and this 
time saw something dark moving under the more 
distant trees of the Vicarage orchard. 

Without a moment’s delay she had vaulted over 
the hedge as neatly as one of her brothers could 
have done, and was giving chase to the moving ob- 
ject. Before she came up with the figure she knew 
that it was her brother Radley. He tried to*- hide 
himself from her, as he stealthily advanced, under 
cover of the gooseberry-bushes and pear-trees of the 
kitchen garden, towards the back of the Vicarage. 
But this progress of his was too suspicious for her to 
allow it to be continued uninterrupted. She stopped 
his further advance by a dash into the bushes which 
placed her between him and the house. 

“ Radley !” she cried, in a whisper. '' Oh, Radley, 
I’m — I’m so glad you’re here — and safe. Where 
are the others? Quin? And Giles? Are they 
here, too ?” 

The words died away upon her lips, for she saw 
that, in place of the admiring, indulgent brother of 


228 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


the old days, it was with a fierce and desperate man 
that she had to deal. 

“ Curse you !” said he, hissing out the words at 
her between his tight-set teeth. Curse you and 
Athelstan, too! You have put a rope round our 
necks by your interference, and your d — d new Sun- 
day-school notions ! Get out of my way, stand out 
of my way, I say, or I’ll give you what you deserve 1” 

To the girl’s unspeakable horror, Radley, who had 
evidently been drinking, raised the thick stick he 
carried, and held it menacingly close to her face. 
She did not flinch, but a look of anguish came into 
her eyes. 

Oh, Radley !” she cried, in an agonised whisper, 
‘‘you don’t know what you are doing! I’m sure 
you don’t; or you would never raise your hand 
against me ! Where were you going to ? What are 
you doing here ?” 

Radley glared at her angrily. 

“ It’s not safe to tell you anything,” he said, sul- 
lenly. “ Since you have taken to playing fast and 
loose with everybody, and to kissing a man one 
minute and sending him about his business the next, 
there’s no trusting you. As long as we all stuck 
together it was all right, and we could snap our 
fingers at anybody ; but now you two have turned 
so virtuous, it’s ruin for all of us !” 

Harry listened with a shiver. Yes, it was all Hu- 
bert’s fault, all this holding out of a new ideal of con- 
duct, which had broken the luck of the Brancepeths. 

” What were you going to do at the Vicarage ?” 
she repeated, without answering him. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


229 

I was going to get some money to take me away 
from here,” he answered recklessly. 

” Money — from the Vicarage ?” 

“ Well, you can get it for me, if you like. It’s all 
up with us if we stay here. And we can’t get away 
without money. That fool Giles was so screwed last 
night he can’t remember what he did with ” 

He stopped short, suddenly thinking that con- 
fession was indiscreet. Harry, however, knew what 
he meant. 

Where is Giles ?” she asked. 

The answer came from the lips of Giles himself, 
who sprang upon them even while she was speaking, 
with a white face and red, angry eyes. He clenched 
his fists as he turned to her, and drew his breath in 
deep gasps as he spoke : 

“ So it was you who stole the jewelry from under 
my pillow, you — you jade, was it? You who ” 

Radley uttered a fierce cry, and rushed at»his sis- 
ter; but she sprang nimbly out of his way, and 
addressed herself imploringly to her eldest brother. 

“ Stop, Giles ; you know you are saying what isn’t 
true. I didn’t steal the jewels ; I wanted to save 
you all from the consequences of what you had done 
by giving them back.” 

“ And ‘ giving us away’ at the same time ?” 

**When I got to Croke Hall I found I couldn’t 
see Lord Ambry, so I would not bring danger upon 
you by owning I had them. I brought the jewels 
back with me ” 

“ Give them up, then. Give them up !” cried Rad- 
ley, more menacingly than ever. 

^0 


230 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Hold your tongue, Radley,” said his brother. 

She can’t give them up to us, for I saw her give 
them to that fellow Besils ten minutes ago.” 

‘‘ To Besils ! The d— she did !” 

Oh, listen, boys ! I did it for your sakes ! Don’t 
you see I couldn’t let my brothers be taken for com- 
mon thieves. Mr. Besils will say you took them for 
the fun of the thing, and that you are in great dis- 
tress at the serious turn things took because of his 
resistance. And so you are, aren’t you, boys ? Oh, 
Giles, Giles, you are sorry, I’m sure !” 

“ It’s no time to talk of being sorry, said Giles, 
impatiently. ‘‘ One of the men is dead, and the shock 
of the beastly affair has killed my father. What’s 
the use of talking about being ‘ sorry’ ? It is child- 
ish. We must get away, and you must get the money 
for us to go with.” 

“ But where ? How am I to get it ?” asked Harry, 
trembling. Luke Standen would have lent it me, 
but he’s gone away, and ” 

“ Luke Standen ! Why, he’s as poor as a church 
mouse himself!” said Giles, impatiently. “ You must 
get it from Besils, of course. You have only got to 
promise to marry him. And there’s nothing else 
for you to do now. And he’ll let you have as much 
money as you want fast enough.” 

But, Giles, I can’t, I can’t 1” gasped Harry. 

‘‘ You must 

He growled out the words at her, threatening her 
with both hand and eye in his turn. 

“ Confound the girl I Do you want to see us all 
hanged ?” shouted a third voice in her ear. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


231 


Quin had come creeping through the shrubs and 
the fruit-trees and joined the group. He was in a state 
of abject terror, and his presence sent a fresh thrill of 
alarm through the rest. Radley broke out, angrily — 
** Hold your tongue. Quin. They can’t hang you 
or me. We’ve killed nobody.” 

Oh, boys, boys, don’t !” moaned Harry, as she 
looked round at the livid, desperate faces, and realised 
with difficulty that these greedy, criminal young 
ruffians were indeed the brothers she had loved and 
been so proud of. “ I will get the money for you ; I 
will, I will. Only look at me as you used to look. 
Speak as you used to speak. I am not a turn-coat ; 
I have no Sunday-school notions. I am your own 
loving sister, and whatever you have done, and what- 
ever may happen to you. I’ll stand in with you, boys, 
and share the luck to the end !” 

Her voice was broken, but she did not cry. Giles, 
the guiltiest by a chance, the best-hearted'^f the 
three by nature, just grasped her hand and nodded. 
The other two remained silent and sullen, and un- 
moved except by a new hope of safety and escape. 


232 


1 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

It was late in the afternoon of the day on which 
old Sir Giles died, when Harry, having at last ex- 
changed the riding-habit which she had worn since 
five o’clock that morning for a plain tailor-made 
walking dress, walked up the path through the Vic- 
arage garden and rang the bell. 

She had been on the watch for Hubert’s return 
from Croke Hall, and his prolonged absence made 
her so uneasy that she decided to brave a meet with 
Mrs. Floriston, and to ask that lady whether she 
might wait for his return. There was no tendency 
to deceit in Harry’s nature, and she was quite ready 
to acknowledge the difficulties she was in. 

She had not been in the drawing-room more than 
a minute when Hubert’s sister came in. She was 
more than usually dignified, more than usually cool. 
But there was something so touching in the face of 
her visitor, such a haggard look of waiting and 
watching in her tired eyes, that Mrs. Floriston’s first 
words were much kinder than she had intended. 

“ Why, how worn out you look ! Sit down. Let 
me give you a cup of tea.” 

And she put her hand upon the bell. Harry’s lip 
trembled and her eyes grew moist. To be prepared 
for harshness and then to find herself treated with 
kindness is perhaps the worst trial which a tired 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


233 

woman can have to face. She did not take the 
proffered seat, but shook her head deprecatingly. 

“ I haven’t been to bed last night; that’s why I’m 
tired,” she explained, quickly. 

Ah ! These dances ! What won’t a young girl 
go through for the sake of a night spent in twirling 
round over a slippery floor 1” 

“Oh, it isn’t that. I — I have lost my father; I 
suppose you had heard that. And — my brothers 
have got themselves into trouble again ; and — your 
brother — Mr. Besils — has gone to try to get them 
out. He won’t, though ; he can’t ; but he may do 
something. And I am anxious. So I want to see 
him. I thought perhaps you would let- me wait here 
till he comes back. It is so dreadful — at home !” 

Mrs. Floriston guessed that something must be 
very wrong indeed “ at home” for the girl to, take 
shelter with her. Hubert had ridden off with only 
the briefest of explanations that he was going as far 
as Croke Hall and should not be back to luncheon ; 
and she had devoutly hoped that his mission was to 
promote a reconciliation between Lord Ambry and 
his capricious fiancee. 

Of course she had heard of the rupture, and had 
herself been a witness of the outrageous flirtation 
Harry had subsequently carried on with Hubert at 
the ball. She had been illogical enough to be angry 
on learning that Harry had refused her brother, and 
was now in a terrible state of uncertainty as to what 
the wayward girl’s intentions really were. 

She disliked this wilful and capricious young 
person, as she considered Harry, both for having 
20* 


234 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


encouraged Hubert to love her, and for refusing to 
marry him when she had succeeded ; but the strongest 
feeling in her heart as she heard the girl’s words was 
the hope that she would keep to her refusal, and not 
involve him in the meshes of an alliance with her 
dreadful family. 

So her tone grew colder at once; she could not 
help it. 

Of course it is a very trying time for you,” she 
said. I had not heard of your father’s death ; I am 
very sorry for you. Your aunt, Lady Maggie, is at 
home, is she not ?” 

''Yes,” answered Harry. Then, with a burst of 
embarrassing frankness, she added, "So are the 
police.” 

Mrs. Floriston started violently. Had the brothers, 
then, completed the list of their enormities by killing 
their own father? It did not appear improbable. 
Harry, who, for very weariness, had at last sunk 
down upon a chair, went on in a hoarse, tired voice — 

" Lord Ambry was attacked last night. Of course 
my poor brothers were suspected ” 

" Naturally,” Mrs. Floriston had almost said. 

"So they have come to watch the house — the 
police, I mean. Luckily, my brothers were all out 
when they came,” she went on, blushing guiltily, 
and quite aware that her listener put the worst con- 
struction upon this circumstance. "So Mr. Besils 
has gone to Lord Ambry to — to intercede, at least — 
to explain.” 

Mrs. Floriston murmured something which was 
the very reverse of what she thought. She was full 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


235 


of hope that this last outrage on the part of the 
young Brancepeths would disenchant Hubert with 
their sister, and of fear lest the girl’s appearance 
in her present forlorn condition would revive the 
warmth of his feelings. If she could only get rid 
of Harry before Hubert came back ! 

She tried. 

You may be quite sure that he will do his best,’* 
she said. And then, as the tea was brought in at 
that moment, she purred out her next words over 
the cups and saucers : ** Don’t you think, Miss Brance- 
peth, that in the circumstances it would be more 
pleasant for you not to see my brother, but to let me 
bring you the result of his visit to Lord Ambry? 
Of course I know that you refused my brother, and 
no doubt you feel some delicacy about meeting him 
again so soon.” 

Harry smiled. She understood. 

I must see him !” she said, simply. ** I do wish 
I had not got to, but I must. But you need not 
mind. It’s bad enough for him to concern himself 
in our affairs at all, but it’s better than if he were 
going to marry me. And remember you owe that 
comfort to me T 

Mrs. Floriston glanced from the girl to the fire 
with heightened colour. 

Perhaps your resolution will break dov/n now,” 
she said, with just a suggestion in her tone of the 
direction in which her own wishes lay. 

“ No,” said the girl, simply. “ I care for him too 
much. I am going away.” 

Then there was silence between the two ladies, 


236 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


and the talk when they presently did speak was 
kept away from these delicate subjects. 

Meanwhile, Hubert was finding the task he had 
undertaken by no means an easy one. He obtained 
an interview with Lord Ambry, who was at first cold 
and stiff, looking upon him as his successful rival 
with Harrington Brancepeth and the indirect cause 
of her brother’s attack. Hubert quickly disabused 
his mind, and told him that he himself had proposed 
to Miss Brancepeth and had been rejected by her. 

“ Then we may congratulate each other,” said Lord 
Ambry, smiling from the bed in which he was lying, 
propped up with pillows. 

“ No,” said Hubert, gravely. “ I would marry her 
to-morrow if she would let me, whatever becomes 
of her brothers.” 

Lord Ambry shrugged his shoulders. 

I wouldn’t,” said he, decidedly. I’ve had one 
of them taken up already, and I hope that by this 
time the police have got hold of the rest. I’ve just 
heard that their father, old Sir Giles, is dead, killed 
by the shock of this last disgrace. So that leaves 
me a free hand.” 

“ But can you swear to them ? Did you recognise 
any of them last night ?” 

The answer was conclusive. 

Both the footman and I recognised Radley,” said 
he. ''And he also recognised Giles. We are not 
sure that there were more than three of them, though, 
and we can’t swear to more than those two. But it 
was Radley who stole the jewels from my pocket.” 

... " Well, I’ve brought them back to you again,” said 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


237 


Hubert, producing the cases and laying them on the 
table beside the bed. Lord Ambry stared at them 
and at the jewels themselves, which Hubert was 
careful to show him. 

'' They never gave them up of their own accord,’* 
said he, shrewdly. 

“There they are then, at any rate. Won’t this 
immediate restitution count with you for anything? 
It was the wild escapade of lads who have had too 
much champagne.’’ 

“ It was more than that,” said Lord Ambry, shortly ; 
“ they’ve killed one of my servants, and they would 
have killed me if I had not had help quickly.” 

* “ Well, it was one of the Brancepeth’s that gave 
you that help. Don’t forget that. And one, too, 
whom you did not recognise in the attacking party, 
and who swears he wasn’t with them.” 

Lord Ambry reflected for a few moments. 

“ Perhaps I’ve been hard upon him,” he admitted, 
coldly. “ But they’re all tarred with the same brush, 
and I suppose he was ‘ in’ with the others. At any 
rate, he’s before the magistrate now, and he must 
stand or fall by the evidence. I won’t go bail for 
him. As for the others, if one or more of them are 
hanged, it’s not my fault. I can’t interfere with the 
course of the law, even if I wished.” 

It was clear that there was nothing more to hope 
for from the Viscount, and Hubert took his leave, 
and went in search of Athelstan. 

The magistrate, after hearing the evidence of the 
groom, thought the case against the young man not 
strong enough to warrant his refusing bail. But he 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


238 

fixed the amount at two hundred pounds, and Athel- 
stan was in the very act of telling him that he might 
as well lock him up at once, when Hubert was 
announced. 

He at once offered himself as bail, and thus pro- 
cured the young man’s release. 

They rode back together to Culverley, both in the 
lowest of spirits. 

“ Are you going to marry Harry now ?” asked 
Athelstan, after a long silence. 

“ She won’t have me.” 

“ Would you have her, if you could, after all this ?” 
went on Harry’s brother. 

‘‘ Rather.” 

“ Well, I think you’re well out of it. Giles will be 
hanged, won’t he ?” 

“ I hope not.” 

“ And the rest of us will have to pick oakum.” 

Not you, I think.” 

“ Oh, I don’t know. They’ll say if I haven’t de- 
served it for this I have for something else. And 
my name would do it. They’ll make a clean sweep 
of us while they are about it. And I don’t wonder : 
it’s begun to dawn upon me lately that we’re nothing 
but a public nuisance and a private disgrace. If I 
had the time over again I would behave more like 
other people. Everybody looks askance at us, and I 
don’t like it.” 

“Well, there’s time to mend,” said Hubert, cheer- 
fully, and as he spoke he noticed that there was an 
object moving about the Vicar’s kitchen garden in 
the dusk, and that Athelstan was not listening, to 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


239 


him. “ I suppose you want to see if the people at 
the Vicar’s look askance at you,” he went on, good- 
naturedly. If you like to get off here, I’ll have 
your horse sent round to the ‘ Place.’ ” 

Athelstan threw him a shamefaced, grateful look, 
and was off his horse in an instant. He only waited 
till Hubert was out of sight before he opened the 
gate of the Vicar’s garden, and stole quietly in. 

Alas for the poor lad’s hopes ! Kathleen started 
violently when she turned with a bunch of celery in 
her hand and saw his white face looking at her over 
the fence. He cut off her escape by coming through 
the little gate and standing in front of it on the narrow 
path. 

She was looking, he thought, prettier than he had 
ever seen her. The fatigue and excitement of the 
previous night had only given her face a more deli- 
cate beauty, a languid heaviness to her eyelids. Her 
forehead puckered with distress, as she flushed deeply 
and deliberately looked away from him. 

“ Kathleen !” cried he, in a choking voice, “ Kath- 
leen ! You are not going to turn your back upon 
me now, are you ? Just when I’m unluckier than 
I’ve ever been before ?” 

No answer ; not even a movement of her head. 
He came a step nearer. 

“ I haven’t done anything wrong this time, Kath- 
leen; upon my soul I haven’t. What — what d — d — 
what confounded story have you heard ?” 

Again no answer. But she wheeled round sud- 
denly, her skirts flying round her in a hoop, and 
tried to dash past him. 


240 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


“No, no, I can’t let you go like that; after” — 
and his voice sank to a tender whisper — “ after last 
night !” 

At last he caught sight of the girl’s downcast face, 
stooping low to do so until the gooseberry-bushes 
scratched his own cheeks and caught in his mous- 
tache. She looked miserable, but she was firm. She 
remained standing in the wet path, stepping back a 
little way as he advanced, and not once raising her 
eyes. 

“ I see,” said he, drawing himself up and speaking 
in a stifled voice ; “ you’re not allowed to speak to 
me. That’s it, isn’t it ?” 

Kathleen nodded an assent, still without raising 
her eyes. 

“ But you would if you could ? Tell me you 
would if you could ?” 

Again she made a sign of assent. 

“You’ve heard everything, I suppose?” 

She threw at him an interrogative glance, which 
told him that, however much she might know, she 
did not know all. Athelstan began to strip the 
thorns off the nearest gooseberry-bush to help him 
out with his confession. 

“Well, I must tell you, I suppose! Everything 
has happened that could happen, and we’re altogether 
ruined and done for, the whole lot of us. Lord Am- 
bry was attacked last night on his way home from 
the ball, and the police are after my brothers, and 
the shock has killed my father. And — and I’m out 
on bail.” 

“ But you had no hand in it I No, I’m sure of it !” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


241 


burst out Kathleen, clasping her hands and letting 
the celery slip down into the mud. 

There was a little pause, in which one could have 
heard the heavy breathing of both of them. Then 
Athelstan turned round quickly, and she heard him 
sobbing like a child. 

Oh, don’t, don’t ! Oh, Mr. Brancepeth, I am so 
sorry, so dreadfully, dreadfully sorry ! I didn’t know 
it was so bad as that. And it’s shameful that they 
should accuse you ” 

How do you know I wasn’t mixed up in it ?” 
asked Athelstan, wheeling round so suddenly that 
he touched her arm with his hand before she could get 
back out of his u^ay. I’ve been in lots of these things 
before. What makes you think I wasn’t this time ?” 

“ Why, you know, you promised me, only last 
night !” cried Kathle«n, earnestly. I’m sure you 
hadn’t forgotten it any more than I ?” 

God bless you ! You did trust me, then ! You 
do !” cried Athelstan, eagerly. And you are right. 
I wasn’t in it ; I hadn’t anything to do with it. Fd 
have cut off my right hand rather than have any 
share in such a business after what you — what I — 
what we talked about last night. I promised you 
I’d reform, didn’t I? Well, and I meant it. But 
now I shan’t have a chance. They’re nearly sure to 
take this opportunity of paying us all out together, 
and of ridding the county of the whole lot of us. I 
shouldn’t mind: we’ve deserved it. If it were not 
for you ! And then there’s poor Giles I” 

His voice dropped to a whisper. Kathleen whis- 
pered back — 

L q 


21 


242 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


“ Is it true what John Tustain said, that — that — a 
man was — killed T' 

Athelstan shuddered and made a sign of assent. 
Tears of horror and of sympathy began to fall down 
Kathleen’s cheeks. 

“Oh, but you will send him away, won’t you? 
You won’t — ^you won’t let them find him ?” 

“ Not if we can help it,” said Athelstan, gloomily. 
“I’m going now to see what can be done. You — 
you will go on believing in me, won’t you ?” 

“ Yes, yes, indeed I will. But — don’t be angry 
with me — I have broken my promise to papa in 
speaking to you : you won’t make me break it again, 
will you ?” 

“ It’s rather hard lines, isn’t it, that I’m to be treated 
as if I were a felon ?” 

“ Oh, don’t say that. But what can I do ? I must 
tell papa that I have seen you, spoken to you; just 
to satisfy my conscience. And then he will be angry 
with me again.” 

It went to her heart to have to say this, for the 
poor fellow stared at the road outside with an ex- 
pression of the deepest despair and despondency. 
Then he bent his head in sign of acquiescence 
without looking at her face. 

“ All right,” he said, gruffly. “ You’re quite right, 
of course. If ‘ papa’ said I wasn’t fit for you to 
speak to, of course he was right. And — and I won’t 
stay here among your cabbages and potatoes any 
longer ; I might make them wither, might I not ?” 

He walked down the wet path towards the gate 
in a spiritless fashion, so different from his usual easy, 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


243 


light-hearted manner, that Kathleen’s eyes suddenly 
filled with tears. Her heart cried out to him, and 
of course her lips followed suit. 

“ Mr. Brancepeth, oh ! how can you be so unkind ?” 

Now a young man’s despondency is never so deep 
that the voice of the girl he loves, when she says 
the right thing, cannot dispel it in a moment. Athel- 
stan turned rapidly round, and finding that she had 
instinctively held out her hands while she uttered 
this appeal, he seized them in his own, drew Kath- 
leen into his arms, and kissed her again and again. 
Then he stood back, as red in the face as she was, 
and looked at her. 

“ There,” said he, defiantly, tell papa that ! Tell 
him that I’ve kissed you, and that I will again if I 
get the chance. Only I shan’t : I shall be picking 
oakum. And he may think himself lucky that they 
have found me some employment at last; for if it 
hadn’t been for that I’d have married you. Yes, I 
would, in spite of papa !” 

Kathleen was overwhelmed. She didn’t know 
whether to smile or to cry, to remonstrate or to run 
away. The Brancepeths could not, of course, do 
their wooing or anything else like other people. 
And this fierce, domineering. Highland chief sort of 
love-making, while it took her breath away, had in 
it something of excitement, of charm, which this in- 
habitant of the quiet parsonage home found by no 
means distasteful. The words she at last found 
strength to utter were ridiculously inadequate. 

“ Mr. Brancepeth — ” she gasped, below her breath, 
I’m — I’m astonished — I’m ” 


244 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


But you’re not angry ?” 

He bent his head and spoke in a whisper, an in- 
sinuating whisper. Kathleen glanced up at him in a 
restive fashion, which implied that she was struggling 
to be cruel and couldn’t manage it. 

I — I should like to be,” she answered, honestly. 
** And — and perhaps, if you don’t go, I shall T 

He tried to get another kiss, but she was too quick 
for him. Making a wild plunge into the currant- 
bushes, she gained the gate by a circuitous and un- 
expected route, and disappeared into dim recesses 
of laurel and euonymus at the side of the house. 

Athelstan picked up a small stick of the celery 
she had dropped, wiped the mud off, and put it in 
his pocket. Then he threw an affectionate look at 
the bricks of the house she lived in, and went home 
somewhat comforted. 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


245 


CHAPTER XXV. 

In the mean time Hubert had gone home to the 
Vicarage, and had been informed by his sister that 
Harry was waiting to see him. Mrs. Floriston would 
have liked to be present at the interview between 
them ; but her suggestion that she and her brother 
should go to the drawing-room together met with a 
negative so decided that she began to look gloomy. 

“ I left her in the drawing-room about half an 
hour ago,” said Maude, frigidly. Of course she may 
be gone by this time, by the window perhaps. One 
can’t answer for the vagaries of these Brancepeths.” 

“ You have not been unkind to her?” 

His tone made his sister thankful that she could 
truthfully answer “ No.” 

When he entered the drawing-room Hubert 
thought at first that his sister’s suggestion was a 
well-founded one. It was not until he was well in the 
room that he discovered Harry, half sitting, half 
lying on the high-backed sofa by the fire, with her 
feet touching the floor and her head half buried in 
the cushions. In the midst of her troubles, physical 
fatigue and weariness had been too much for her. 
Even in her slumber she seemed hardly to have lost 
the consciousness of her griefs, and there was some- 
thing unspeakably touching to the man who loved 
her in the worn, weary expression of the face which 

21* 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


246 

he had known so bright and happy looking. He 
could not bear to wake her ; but even moments were 
precious, for the liberty, and even the life of the 
girl’s brothers were at stake. 

He went down on one knee beside the couch, and 
took her left hand in his. She moved at once, opened 
her eyes, and not at once realising the situation in 
which she was placed, smiled at him. 

My darling !” burst from his lips. 

But the smile had already faded from her face ; she 
sprang up with frightened eyes. 

“ My brothers ! Have you been able to do any- 
thing ?” she asked in a frightened whisper. 

Lord Ambry says the matter is out of his hands. 
I was afraid so. They ought to get away.” 

Harry sprang to her feet, snatching away her hand. 
Her face wore an expression which Hubert could not 
quite understand. 

“ No !” she whispered. “ But — but ” 

Then Hubert understood. 

‘‘ Do they want — money ?” he asked, in the same 
low voice as her own. 

She had covered her face with her hands ; .but she 
moved her head in assent. She heard him leave the 
room and return in a few minutes. She knew what 
he had brought even before she looked. She was 
sitting on a low chair with her eyes fixed upon the 
floor. Hubert put a thick packet into her lap and a 
little heavy canvas bag. 

“ There’s fifty pounds in gold and a hundred in 
notes,” said he. “ That will get them out of the 
country. Then, when they let you know where they 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


247 


are, I can send them a draft for some more. For 
they ought not to stay in Europe : I should suggest 
South America for at least one of them.” 

For all of us 1” cried Harry, starting up, and 
holding the money tightly in her hands. “ We’ll 
stick together. Giles is no worse than the rest of us, 
poor fellow ! We won’t let him go into exile alone.” 

Hubert was for a moment struck dumb. 

“ But you — surely you will not go too !” he stam- 
mered at last. 

“ Of course I shall. I’m a savage too. I wish 
I’d never tried to be anything else : at least, I almost 
wish it,” she added, with a strange wistfulness in her 
tone. Then with a sudden burst of fire and energy, 
she looked him full in the face with her great grey 
eyes, which seemed pretern at u rally large and dark : 
“You lend me this with no conditions ? I may do 
what I like with it ?” 

“ Whatever in the world you like.” 

“ It is a dreadful thing to have to come to you 
for it.” 

“ I am sorry to hear you say that,” said Hubert, 
very gravely. “ I had taken it as a very great proof 
of your friendship and confidence.” 

He saw that she was trembling, and his heart 
yearned towards her. But she steeled herself against 
the tenderness which she saw in his eyes. 

“ I am very grateful to you,” she said in a guarded 
voice. “ And I shall pay it all back myself.” 

“Yes,” assented Hubert, gravely. 

She glanced up at him rather resentfully. 

“Of course you think I shan’t be able to, or not 


248 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


for a very long time,” she said, sharply. But you 
will see. I believe I can work, do things, help my 
brothers to make a living, if there’s nothing left of 
the estate for us. And I don’t suppose there will 
be.” 

“ I never doubted your capabilities for a moment, 
Miss Brancepeth, and I look upon my money as well 
invested. For of course you will pay me interest ?” 

She looked at him with an interrogative frown. 
But he appeared to be quite serious. 

'*Of course,” she answered, steadily. ‘*And I 
thank you with all my heart.” 

She held out her hand. Hubert took it quietly, 
almost coldly, as it seemed to her. 

“ Shall I see you again before you go away. Miss 
Brancepeth ?” 

She shook her head. It had become suddenly 
difficult for her to utter a word. She was realising 
what this departure from her own country meant to 
her. He had to find the handle for her as she turned 
quickly to the door. In the hall she . felt safer, and 
she turned to him again. 

“ I shall write to you.” 

That was all she said : and she did not look at his 
face again. But Hubert knew the struggle that was 
going on in her heart between the love which told 
her to stay and be comforted and the duty which 
bade her hurry away to the aid of her brothers. 

And he watched her running down the path and 
across the lawn in the direction of the cherry-orchard 
until his own sight grew too dim for him to see her. 

Harry had arranged with her brothers to meet 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


249 


them at Blacksand Bay, about four miles off, where, 
she thought, they could all get a boat to take them 
out to a small steam-yacht belonging to one of their 
friends, which had been cruising about near the coast 
for some days, and on which they had been invited 
to lunch on the next day but one after the ball. 

She reckoned upon her own powers of persuasion 
to get the owner to take them over to either Holland 
or Belgium ; and with this start, she calculated upon 
getting as far away as they wished without much 
difficulty. 

She had decided not to return to Culverley Place, 
as the police were watching the house, and she was 
afraid she might be followed. There was a path 
which led from the cherry-orchard through fields 
towards the marshes by the sea, and it was by this 
road that she intended to join her brothers. She 
had not gone many steps under the cherry-trees, 
however, when she was alarmed by seeing that a 
man was watching her from the road. 

She stopped. 

“ Harry 

Recognising Athelstan’s voice, she beckoned him 
to come to her, and hurriedly told him her errand. 

Come with me,” she entreated ; “ come and see 
us off. I never thought I was a coward before,- but 
to-night I start at the least sound. It is because I 
am tired, I think, and because so much depends upon 
my getting to them safely.” 

All right, ril come,” said Athelstan. 

But his tone had no vivacity, his manner no alac- 
rity. He, too, was tired, having had no sleep through- 


250 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


out an eventful night. He was oppressed also, not 
unnaturally, by a sense of calamities still impending. 
He did not share Harry's hopefulness about their 
chances of escape, and he highly disapproved her 
intention of accompanying her guilty brothers into 
exile. 

Why, I thought,” said she, in surprise, “ that you 
would have wanted to go too !” 

What ? And forfeit my bail, behave as if I were 
guilty, and — and throw away all chance of ever 
seeing ” 

Oh !” said Harry. 

There was silence for a few minutes ; brother and 
sister understood each other. 

“ Had you any chance, then ?” asked Harry, 
presently. 

“ I don’t know. But I think I had. At any rate 
I should like to show her that I’m not quite the scum 
of the earth as they tell her I am. I mean to, too !” 
he added, with determination. 

Harry stopped short and looked up in her brother’s 
earnest face. It was quite dark by this time, and the 
wind was rising and sweeping over the marshes from 
the sea. The tide was rolling in quickly over the 
mud of the shore, and just where the land began to 
jut out to the left they could see a boat on the beach 
and two or three men waiting about. 

“ There they are !” whispered Harry. “ Now I 
think you had better go back. If you are not going 
with us they will quarrel with you and say it was 
your going to help Lord Ambry which brought all 
this down upon them.” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


251 


*^0h, they say that, do they?” said Athelstan, 
reddening. “ That settles it. They are not going to 
say I ran away from them.” 

And he stalked on at a more rapid pace than before 
towards the spot where his brothers were standing. 

Quin was the first to recognise him, and the howl 
he raised at the sight of his brother gave the latter 
notice of what he had to expect. Giles and Radley 
waited in sullen silence until Harry and Athelstan 
came up. Then, not leaving either of them time to 
speak, Giles spoke — 

Well, so you’ve got the decency to throw in 
your luck with us, after doing your best to get us 
all laid by the heels ?” 

‘‘ I can’t go with you,” replied Athelstan, quietly, 
“ even if I wanted to. And I don’t. I’ve come to 
see you off, though ; I wanted to do that to be sure 
you were safe.” 

'"Safe!” echoed Radley, savagely. ‘‘And whose 
fault is it that we’re not safe at home, instead of 
having to bolt for it? Whose fault but yours! 
Yours and Harry’s. What need was there for you 
to interfere at all — what need, I say ? If you hadn’t 
came up, muddling about and pretending to be a 
hero, old Ambry wouldn’t have come to in such a 
hurry, and would never have thought we were con- 
cerned in the affair.” 

“ What rot I” retorted Athelstan, scoffingly. “ He 
knew you, Radley, all the time. And both the 
servants recognised Giles. I’ve got quite enough 
sins of my own on my shoulders without your 
shoving yours on them as well.” 


252 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Harry, perceiving that the passions of all her 
brothers were rising dangerously high, made a 
diversion. 

“ Look here, boys,” she said in a whisper, thrust- 
inof herself between Athelstan on the one hand and 
the three guilty lads on the other, “ don’t quarrel 
now; there’s no time for it. I’ve got some money 
for you, enough to take us away to the other end of 
the world if we liked. Let’s get off as quickly as 
we can. Where the yacht ?” 

“ Don’t trouble your head about the yacht,” said 
Giles, roughly. “ Hand over the money and leave 
us to shift for ourselves. We’ve got about as much 
to thank you for as we have Athelstan.” 

And as for your going with us,” added Radley, 
angrily, “ I never heard such rot. You’d only be in 
the way. We want the money you’ve brought, not 
you.” 

Giles rebuked his brother for this coarse brutality 
by a rough shake of the arm. By the light of the 
moon, which had not yet risen very high, he could 
see that Harry looked harassed, sad, and worn. He 
put his hand on her shoulder and spoke more 
gently — 

” Look here, my dear girl, it’s Athelstan who has 
got to come with us. The best thing you can do is 
to marry Besils. He’ll have you, more especially as 
we shall be out of the way. And I believe he’ll 
make you a good husband.” 

Harry drew herself away and spoke with spirit — 

“And do you think I’m going to be taken out of 
pity like that ? Not 1. If you don’t take me with 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


253 


you, I shall throw myself into the sea and come after 
you ; and if you won’t take me in then, I shall just 
swim on till I drown. Oh, Giles, don’t be so cruel, 
so hard ! You know I can be of use to you, and 
put up with hardships, and take my share of the 
rough as well as the smooth with you all ! You will 
take me, you must !” 

Giles seemed to waver. Radley suddenly sprang 
upon her and seized her by the arm. 

All right,” he said, abruptly. Come along to 
the boat and wait for us, then.” 

And before she had made up her mind whether he 
was in earnest or not, he was dragging her through 
the wet sand and mud to the place where the boat 
was lying, on the edge of the water. The tide was 
coming in, and the boat, which ten minutes before 
had been lying high and dry, was now almost sur- 
rounded. 

“You mean it, Radley; you don’t mean to leave 
me here ? You are coming, all of you, aren’t you ?” 
whispered she, as he and the lad in charge of the 
boat helped her in. 

“ Oh, we’re coming, of course,” he answered, in a 
cold, subdued tone. “ But we’ve got to settle with 
Athelstan first.” 

She had no time to say anything more, for her 
brother was already ploughing his way back to the 
rest. Their voices, rising higher and higher, made 
the girl tremble. She had never seen Radley so 
bitingly cold or Giles so savage before. And Quin 
was like an aeolian harp, ready to be played upon by 
any breeze that blew. 


22 


254 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Even before Radley rejoined his brothers, the 
quarrel had grown very serious indeed. 

Now,” said Giles, as soon as Harry was carried 
off, “you’ve got to make up your mind to go with 
us, and you haven’t got many minutes to do it in. 
The evidence they can get out of you is enough to 
hang some of us. And we don’t mean you to lie 
snug at home while we have to turn out at a moment’s 
notice.” 

“ Well,” said Athelstan, sullenly, “ I can’t go, even 
if I would. I’m only out on bail.” 

“ What on earth does that matter ? Surely you’ve 
not grown so squeamish as that ?” 

“ Well, I have ; so there’s an end of it !” 

“ Oh, no, there’s not an end of it. You’re coming 
with us, or we’ll know the reason why !” 

“ You do know the reason why — or some of them. 
And I’m not coming.” 

“ Take that, then.” 

He dealt at his brother a sounding blow. Athel- 
stan, quite unprepared, staggered ; but recovering 
himself quickly, he sprang at his brother, and wrestled 
with him for the heavy stick with which Giles had 
struck him. Athelstan was the taller as well as the 
stronger of the two, and he was getting the best of 
the tussle, when Radley, coming up from behind, re- 
inforced Giles by dealing Athelstan a blow on the 
head with his fist. 

“ Knock him down ! Kill the sneak 1” shouted 
Radley, as Athelstan threw Giles off and squared up 
to his new assailant. 

Quin had joined his brothers, and the three set 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


255 

upon Athelstan with the fury of a pack of wolves. 
The odds were too great ; and Athelstan, who had 
nothing but his fists, was soon felled to the ground 
by another blow from Giles’s stick. 

He lay on the muddy fringe of grass and reed 
which bordered the sea-shore without a movement, 
while the blood flowed freely from the wounds in his 
head. 

Giles felt a sudden sickness come over him as he 
stood for a moment looking at the prostrate form of 
his brother. 

“ My God ! We’ve killed him, I think !” he said, 
hoarsely. 

‘‘ Let’s get away,” said Radley, briskly. ** Here’s 
Harry coming. We can leave her with him and get 
away.” 

There seemed to be nothing better to do than this, 
as Harry had handed over into Giles’s keeping the 
money she had brought. 

So as Harry, who had leapt out of the boat into 
the water, ran towards the spot where Athelstan lay, 
the other three made a dash for the sea. 

“ Stop, stop ! Stay and help me !” screamed the 
girl in an agony of solicitude, as she threw herself 
on her knees beside the body of her brother. “ You 
can’t leave him like this !” 

But they had already reached the boat, and without 
so much as a word of remorse or of farewell, they 
pushed off to sea. 


256 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

“ Athelstan ! Athelstan ! Speak to me !’* 

The moon was darkened by a passing cloud : Harry 
could not see her brother’s face. But she could feel 
the blood still trickling warm from a gash on his 
forehead, and she believed that he was still alive. 
But she tried in vain to stanch his wounds, and she 
moaned in her misery at the thought that he would 
die in her arms for lack of the help she was herself 
powerless to give him. 

There was not a house in sight, nothing but a 
broken boat left to rot on the mud and a clump or 
two of stunted willows to break the monotonous ex- 
panse of grey sea on the one hand, grey marsh on 
the other. 

She called for help with all the force of her lungs. 
At first there was no answer. The second time she 
called she fancied she caught a faint sound in reply. 
She listened; it was not repeated. The momentary 
hope died in her breast as she told herself it v/as 
nothing but the echo of her own cry which she had 
heard. 

The wind, which was cold and gusty, and the sound 
of the sea as the tide came in, made hearing difficult : 
so that when at last help came in the shape of a man, 
he stood in front of her before she w'as aware of his 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


257 


approach. As he v/ent down on his knees on the 
other side of her unconscious brother she recognised 
him as Hubert Besils. 

Then her composure gave way, and she fell into 
hysterical sobbing. 

“Hush, hush!” said Hubert, gently; “this is not 
like you, Miss Brancepeth ! Not at all like the ama- 
zon of Bredding Woods I” 

Harry mastered herself by a great effort, and 
pointed to her brother. 

“ Never mind the amazon,” she whispered in the 
weak voice her exertions and emotions of the night 
and day had left her. “ Can you save him ?” 

“ I hope so,” answered Hubert, cheerfully. “ You 
can trust my surgery, can’t you ? Give me some- 
thing to make bandages of. We must stop the 
bleeding.” 

While he spoke he was examining Athelstan’s 
wounds, which were all in the region of the head. 
Harry tore off a flounce from her white underskirt 
and folded it into bandages. While Hubert bound 
up the wounds Harry watched him and saw that he 
looked anxious. 

“ What are you afraid of?” she presently asked. 

“ Concussion of the brain,” replied he at once. 
“ We must take him back home at once and send for 
the doctor.” 

Harry then followed the direction of Hubert’s eyes, 
and saw that his phaeton was waiting on the road at 
a little distance. 

“ Now, Miss Brancepeth, I’m afraid I shall have to 
ask you to mind the horse while you send the groom 


258 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


over here to help me to get our wounded man as far 
as the phaeton.” 

Harry was running like a hare over the flat ground 
before he had finished speaking. 

It was a silent, sad drive back across the wind-swept 
country to Culverley. Harry was oppressed by a great 
sense of desolation, which was increased, although she 
hardly knew it, by the fact that Hubert took scarcely 
any notice of her. Not once did he address her of 
his own accord, and in answer to the few questions 
she put to him about her brother, he spoke as briefly 
as possible. It was not until they had almost reached 
the gates of the Place that she asked him what it 
was that had brought him to Blacksand so late. 

His reply gave her a thrill of joy. 

“You,” said he. “ I took the liberty of watching 
the direction in which you went, saw that you did 
not propose to return to your home, and wondered 
what new escapade you were engaged in. I was a 
little reassured when I saw you meet your brother; 
but reflecting that two can be adventurous as well as 
one, I followed you until I found the road you were 
taking, and then went back and had the phaeton 
brought round. That’s all.” 

His tone was so quiet, so cool, that Harry thanked 
him in a timid manner, as if not quite certain whether 
she ought to thank him at all for an act which he 
described as if it had been one of curiosity merely. 

The same undemonstrative coldness was conspic- 
uous in his manner when he said good-bye, after 
having helped to carry Athelstan into the house. 

“ Good-night, Miss Brancepeth,” he said, as she 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


259 

stood at the door of the hall and held out her hand. 
“ Don’t be too anxious about your brother. He is 
a strong, healthy young fellow, and I am sure you 
may hope with the best heart in the world. I will 
send the doctor at once.” 

“Thank you. Good-night. You are very, very 
good.” 

Unconsciously to herself his tone had reacted upon 
her ; and it was in a rather formal manner that they 
parted. 

“ Never mind,” thought Harry, as she went back 
to Athelstan’s room to wait for the arrival of the 
doctor, “ I shall see him in the morning. Of course 
he will come to inquire about Athelstan in the 
morning.” , 

She needed this little scrap of hope to comfort her, 
poor girl, for the whole atmosphere of the old house 
was fraught with gloom. A sombre sense of the 
ruin of the family they had so long sheltered seemed 
to cling to the walls themselves. Instead of the 
noisy laughter of the four young men, their shouts, 
the cracking of whips, the barking of dogs, there was 
the silence of death. The servants went about on 
tiptoe and spoke in whispers : the old hound which 
used to lie beside Sir Giles’s chair now whined out- 
side the door of the room where his old master lay 
dead. 

And in his little bedroom where he had slept since 
his boyhood Athelstan, the handsomest, the kindest- 
hearted of the baronet’s four stalwart sons, was lying 
in a darkened room, pale, cold, unconscious, and in 
danger of death. 


26 o 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


Lady Maggie was sitting by the bedside when 
Harry stole softly in and stood looking down at the 
white, still face of her favourite brother. 

“ Will he die, Aunt Maggie ?” she asked in a hol- 
low whisper. 

“ Oh, my dear, my dear, I hope not !” 

“ Do you ? I am not sure that I do. Don’t you 
think the poor lad would be better off if he were to 
die now, and escape it all? He is ruined and dis- 
graced like the rest of us. He can’t marry the girl 
he is fond of. He will have to earn his living shut 
up in a miserable office, without his horses, or his 
dogs, or anything he cares about. Oh, Aunt Maggie, 
Aunt Maggie, and I feel it is I who have brought it 
all upon us ! It is I who have spoilt the lives of my 
darling, handsome brothers !” 

“You, Harry!” cried Lady Maggie, in astonish- 
ment. 

She glanced at the bed, but the patient heard 
nothing, was conscious of nothing. 

“Yes. If I had married Lord Ambry all this 
would have been prevented and my father would 
have been still alive 1” 

Lady Maggie shook her head dubiously. 

“ We cannot do wrong in order to avoid possible 
evil consequences of doing right,” she said, decidedly. 
“ It would have been very wrong of you to marry 
Lord Ambry, whom you could not possibly like; 
and it is impossible to tell what the evil consequences 
of that step might not have been. Now go to bed, 
there’s a dear girl; you are tired and you look 
ill.” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


261 

** I must wait till the doctor comes,” said Harry, 
faintly. 

She fell into a chair, and there was silence in the 
room until Lady Maggie detected a change in the 
sick man. A little colour had come back to his 
cheeks, and his eyelids were quivering. Before long 
he looked at the two ladies, and, in defiance of his 
aunt’s warning, tried to speak. 

I must just — say — this,” said he, turning his eyes 
to Lady Maggie’s face : “ I’m sure there’s a doubt — 
whether I shall — get over this. If I don’t, tell 

Kathleen — tell Kathleen ” He hesitated, and 

frowned. I have — forgotten,” he whispered. And 

then he sank into a lethargic silence. 

Harry was staring at him with eyes which had in 
them no hope. 

“ If only I could die too !” she murmured, as she 
watched her brother’s face. 

When the doctor came he foresaw that he .should 
have two patients instead of one, and ordered her 
off to bed. He could tell her nothing definite about 
Athelstan at present. The wounds he had received 
were not by themselves likely to prove fatal, as the 
bleeding had been stopped in time. The more seri- 
ous part of the injury was the inflammation of the 
brain which was likely to follow from the concus- 
sion. 

Harry slept heavily, being so worn out that her 
griefs could not suffice to keep her awake long. But 
in the morning, when she attempted to rise, she 
found herself staggering about her room. Looking 
out of her window at the sound of a step on the 


262 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


gravel of the drive, she saw one of the servants from 
the Vicarage walking quickly up to the house. In 
a very few moments the maid, having fulfilled her 
errand, went back as rapidly as she had come. 

With her heart beating very fast Harry rang her 
bell and asked the maid who answered it if a letter 
or message had been brought from the Vicarage. 
She almost held out her hand, so certain did she feel 
that Hubert, since he had not come himself, had sent 
her at least a little note. 

“ She came to inquire, ma’am, how you and Mr, 
Athelstan were,” said the housemaid. *^And shei 
said Mrs. Floriston and Mr. Besils had packed up 
their things and gone to London by the early train 
this morning.” 

“ Gone to London !” said Harry, stupidly, with a 
leaden fear at her heart. “ For the day, I sup- 
pose ?” 

“ Oh, no, ma’am ; they’re gone altogether, I un- 
derstood. She thinks they are going to Nice, 
ma’am.” 

Harry bowed her head in dismissal, and sat on the 
side of her little bed with clasped hands, dry eyes, 
and the chill of a great despair at her heart. 

She had been in earnest in her refusal of Hubert; 
she had held firmly to her resolve that she would 
not bring disgrace and misfortune upon him by be- 
coming his wife. But she had, half unconsciously, 
poor child, counted upon his presence, his friendship, 
for support in the dark times which had come upon 
the old house. To hear that he had taken her at 
her word, and forsaken her in her sore need, was too 


A SPOILT GIRL. 263 

much sorrow for her to bear in the weakened and 
broken state of her mind and spirits. 

When Lady Maggie came to her with the news 
that the doctor’s bulletin concerning Athelstan was 
hopeful, she found Harry in her dressing-gown, lying 
cold and unconscious on the floor. 


264 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


CHAPTER XXVIL 

For days Harry lay ill in bed, prostrated both in 
body and mind. The doctor prescribed change, and 
Lady Maggie made arrangements for taking the girl 
away with her as soon as she herself could leave her 
nephew. 

Athelstan recovered sufficiently to follow his father’s 
body to the grave ; but the effort was made too soon, 
and on the day after he was again in bed with a high 
temperature and suffering from strong nervous ex- 
citement. The doctor wanted him to go away with 
his sister and Lady Maggie. He said he would give 
him a certificate to the effect that he was not strong 
enough to bear the excitement of an appearance at 
the adjourned inquest upon the body of Lord Am- 
bry’s coachman. 

But Athelstan was obstinate : he said that it would 
be thought he was running away, and he insisted on 
remaining at the deserted old home. 

By the doctor’s advice, however, his evidence for 
the inquest was taken on commission, and he was 
thus able to take two more days’ rest before he had 
himself to surrender to his bail to answer the charge 
of complicity in the attack upon Lord Ambry. 

The young man’s appearance, when he stood be- 
fore the dock in the Fernsham police-court, gained 
the sympathy even of those who had been hardest 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


265 


Upon the wild doings of the Brancepeth family. Not 
having yet recovered the strength which the loss of 
blood from his wounds had caused him, with one 
gash on his forehead still covered with sticking 
plaster and only partially concealed by his curly 
hair, Athelstan was very pale; and his downcast 
looks showed how deeply he felt the shame which 
had come upon his family. 

It was a relief, as well as a surprise, to every one 
to find that Lord Ambry, who appeared in person 
at the inquiry, was much less severe than had been 
expected. 

Athelstan, in particular, was astonished at his 
change of tone. For the Viscount said, in his evi- 
dence, that he was inclined to regard the whole 
affair as a bad practical joke on the part of the 
young men who had attacked him, and who were, 
he felt sure, under the influence of wine at the time 
they made the attack. While reiterating his belief 
that the assailants were the Brancepeths, he now 
admitted that they had been only three in number, 
and that he had not recognised Athelstan as one of 
them. The footman also declared positively that 
not one of the attacking party was as tall as Athel- 
stan, and he said, moreover, and this was afterwards 
confirmed by the indoor servants at Croke Hall, 
that the young gentleman’s appearance showed no 
signs of disorder, such as must have resulted from 
the severe conflict which had taken place at the time 
of the attack. 

It was very clear, long before the inquiry was 
ended, that the evidence against Athelstan was far 
M 23 


266 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


too slight for him to be committed for trial ; indeed, 
Athelstan himself was the only person who looked 
surprised when the magistrate announced, amidst 
attempted applause from the people in court, that 
there was no evidence to go before a jury, and that 
the accused was therefore free to go. 

For a moment Athelstan stared at the magistrate 
with an ingenuous bewilderment which brought a 
smile to the faces of all the people near. Then a 
hand was laid upon his shoulder, and a voice said, in 
very kindly, though pompous tones — 

Don’t you understand, my lad ? There is no 
evidence against you. And you can go.” 

The young man’s face flushed, and the voice set 
him trembling. 

What, you^ Vicar ?” said he, huskily. 

*^Yes,” said Mr. Griffith, looking at him frankly, 
with the very faint and weary smile which was the 
only sign of satisfaction his bills and his difficulties 
ever allowed him to give. And I’m not ashamed 
to say I may have done you injustice. I don’t think 
you are quite such a rascal as the rest.” 

Athelstan looked up with a little twinkle in his 
eyes. 

Arid that’s not saying much, is it ?” 

The Vicar shook his head deprecatingly ; he was 
not going to commit himself too far. But Athelstan 
felt the comfort even of this meagre admission, since 
it came from the lips of Kathleen’s father. 

He was beginning to feel the effects of the fatigue 
and excitement incidental to the inquiry upon a mind 
and body which had not yet recovered their tone. 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


267 

As he passed through the magistrate’s room on his 
way out, however, he was stopped by Lord Ambry, 
who held out his hand to him, and frankly said that 
he was sorry for the ordeal he had made him go 
through. 

“ I can’t help feeling that I’ve behaved very badly 
to you,” went on the Viscount, with an uneasy frown 
on his face that betrayed the annoyance he felt at 
having to acknowledge himself in the wrong. ” And 
my doctor says the same. He told me last night 
that if it had not been for the services you rendered 
me on that night I should never have got home alive.” 

Athelstan, who was beginning to feel the room 
spin round him, and who was only anxious to reach 
the open air, mumbled some incoherent acknowl- 
edgment. 

But Lord Ambry, whose pride was concerned in 
making reparation for the wrong he had undoubtedly 
done, persisted in following him to the top of the 
stone staircase. 

” Now I feel that I ought to do something to com- 
pensate you for the inconvenience and — and so on, 
of this affair. What do you propose to do now? 
Is there anything I could do to put you straight ?” 

“ There is one thing I should like to ask of you. 
Lord Ambry, for my father’s sake as well as for 
mine. Don’t go further in this matter against my 
brothers. Look, it’s hard enough for them to have 
to be turned out, not only from the old place but 
from the country, too.” 

” Well,” answered Lord Ambry, “ I promise you 
that, as long as they keep out of the country, nothing 


268 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


shall be done ; no steps shall be taken to bring them 
back. Fve too much respect for my own country 
to bring them,” he added, grimly. “ But, mind, I will 
proceed against them in the matter if ever they dare 
to turn up again.” 

“ Thank you even for that promise,” said Athel- 
stan, who felt that the concession he had got was 
not a very valuable one. 

Perhaps Lord Ambry felt this, too. At any rate 
he said — 

But now for yourself. I am really anxious to do 
something for you. It will ease my conscience. 
Now I would let you remain on in the old place if 
there were the slightest chance of your being able 
to make anything of it But the estate is so heavily 
burdened that, to tell you the truth, nothing but 
making a clean sweep will ever get things straight. 
You see it has been neglected for years now.” 

Athelstan nodded. 

Oh, I know that And there wouldn’t be much 
pleasure in living there now they’re all gone. The 
most I can expect is to be able to keep my head 
above water at something which can be done without 
capital.” 

Well, what do you feel inclined for ? fit for ?” 

“ I don’t know that I’m fit for anything, except 
perhaps to break horses. I do understand something 
about horses. But then so does every Englishman, 
they say.” 

“ Well, would you like to be put with a trainer, 
with a view to learning enough to make you worth 
taking into partnership ?” 


A SPOILT GIRL. 269 

Athelstan’s face brightened, and then grew gloomy 
again. 

“ I should like it awfully,” he said. But if I 
went in for that I’m sure I should lose all chance of 
getting ” 

” Oh ? Sentimental reasons ?” 

'‘Yes. Her father’s a parson,” explained Athel- 
stan, growing red. 

” I can get you a secretaryship. Will that do ?” 

“ Yes. If they’re not too particular about spell- 
ing,” said the young man. 

‘‘Oh, secretaryships are generally filled by men 
who have no special qualifications for anything,” said 
Lord Ambry. “ And I dare say you will be able to 
hold your own. You shall hear from me in a day 
or two, and I think I can promise you good news.” 

Athelstan looked in the face of the old Viscount 
with a heightened colour. 

“ I — I can’t thank you. I don’t know what to 
say,” he said, huskily. ” And I — I don’t like to let 
you do so much for me after — everything that has 
happened.” 

But Lord Ambiy, who had long wanted to get the 
Brancepeths’ estate into his own hands, and whose 
love for Harry had been more an affair of pride than 
of devotion, had less reason to be dissatisfied with 
his dealings with the family than Athelstan supposed. 
So he was quite good-humoured in his assurances 
that the young man need not consider himself under 
any obligation. This was in fact true. For there 
would have been something like a scandal created in 
the county if Lord Ambry, after having his life saved 

23* 


2/0 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


by one of the family whose possessions were now 
entirely in his hands, had left the young man to the 
shifts of a homeless and wandering life, or allowed 
him to become a mere pensioner upon some distant 
branch of the family. 

Athelstan returned the Viscount’s cold handshake 
with a grip which the older man was not grateful 
for, and staggered down into the street. He felt so 
ill that for a few seconds he stood swaying about on 
the pavement, scarcely able to see, or to decide what 
he should do next. 

“ Are you going home now, Mr. Brancepeth ?” said 
a voice which made him start. 

“ I— I— I ” 

He raised his hat mechanically, but the figure of 
Kathleen was shifting and blurred before his eyes. 
He felt himself falling against something, and his 
annoyance gave him a moment’s strength. Steady- 
ing himself by a strong effort, he said, in a voice 
which sounded in his own ears like that of a stranger, 
“ I’m always having to tell you that I’m not drunk. 
But you’ll hardly believe me this time.” 

For answer he heard something which was half a 
sigh and half a sob. And then he felt himself sup- 
ported by her arm. She was leading him. 

“ Come,” she said, in a gentle voice which was 
almost a whisper ; “ I’ll take you home with me. 
I’ve got the pony-carriage here. Now the step.” 

He could just get in with her help. And he was 
all unconscious of the fact that a group of sympa- 
thising people, most of whom had been in court dur- 
ing the inquiry, stood round and offered their aid as 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


271 


Kathleen made him take the seat by her side and 
wrapped the rug round him. But he heard her voice 
again, thanking somebody. 

And then he felt the little carriage move; they 
were driving away. At first the houses, with their 
old-time gables, seemed to dance by him in a bewil- 
dering procession. But when the rattling over the 
stones of the old town ceased, and the chaise went 
smoothly along the country road, he felt that the 
fresh, cold winter air, and the knowledge that Kath- 
leen was by his side, were reviving him. 

For the first time he looked into her face. 

“Won’t you get into a row with the Vicar for 
this ?” said he, in a voice which was rather weak and 
shaky. 

But the girl smiled, with the tears in her eyes. 

“ It was he who said I might bring you back,” said 
she, blushing. 

This intelligence was so startling that it had the 
effect of restoring him completely. 

“ He — said — you — might — bring — me — back !” he 
repeated in a firmer voice. 

“ Yes. I drove him over this morning. And as 
he had business in the town, he said I needn’t wait, 
but that if I liked I might ask you to take his 
place.” 

“To take his place!” repeated Athelstan, who, 
fired with fresh hopes, was feeling the blood run once 
more warm in his veins. “ Why, Kathleen, his place 
is to take care of you 1” 

And she suddenly felt his arm round her under the 


rugs. 


272 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


“ He didn’t mean that,” she said, quickly. ** And 
if you are going to talk nonsense I shall turn you 
out and make you walk.” 

“ It’s not nonsense now,” said he, eagerly. “ I’m 
going to be a secretary, because I’m not fit for any- 
thing, and you’ve got to teach me spelling.” 

This announcement was so unexpected and so 
astonishing, that Kathleen only gasped. 

“ You will, Kathleen, you will, won’t you ?” he 
pleaded, looking into her eyes. You see, dear. I’ve 
counted upon you. Lord Ambry, who’s going to 
get the secretaryship for me, counts upon my get- 
ting somebody to help me. And I thought of you 
directly.” 

I shall have to think about it,” said Kathleen, 
demurely. 

“ Well, but you’ve had plenty of time for that. It 
isn’t as if this were being sprung upon you. You’ve 
known for ever so long that I’ve been thinking of 
nothing else.” 

“ Ah, well, to know that is one thing, and to trust 
in you, and to believe that you were going to make 
yourself respected ! But it’s quite another thing to 
marry a man who — who ” 

“ — who has such a bad record to wipe out ?” 

No, I didn’t mean that exactly. But doesn’t be- 
long to a very steady family.” 

“ Well, won’t you try me ?” 

“ Don’t ask me. Let me think about it.” 

Athelstan agreed to this ; but as they were in a 
quiet country road with nobody else in sight, he 
kissed her “ to put her,” as he said, ‘‘ in a proper 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


273 


thinking mind.” And the rest of the drive was a 
dream of paradise, neither saying very much, ex- 
changing glances from time to time which would have 
reassured Athelstan, if her own admissions had not 
done so, of the place he held in the young girl’s 
heart. 


274 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 

It was the day before the sale of the furniture of 
Culverley Place, and the old home of the Brance- 
peths was “ on view.” 

The circumstances attending the sale having 
aroused unusual interest in the countryside, there 
was a stream of people pouring all day long through 
the rooms; and the flock of intending purchasers 
was lost in crowds drawn to the house by curiosity 
only. 

Swarms of middle-aged matrons filled the low, 
dark hall, and disdaining the rods and guns, the 
whips and hunting trophies which lined the walls, 
squeezed into the long dining-room, where the old 
silver which had been in the family for generations, 
the Worcester and Sevres services which had been 
Lady Maggie’s pride, the cut glass, the old Sheffield 
plated candelabra, were spread out on the oak dining- 
table, to be fingered, inspected, criticised. 

A few gentlemen, chiefly clergymen, looked over 
the guns, had a last look at the drawing-room where 
they had seldom been guests, and then drifted out to 
swell the crowd in the stables. 

On the first floor the ladies filled the bedrooms, 
pulling the clothes off the beds, prodding the pillows, 
shaking their heads the while with sympathetic looks. 


A SPOILT GIRL. 275 

and murmuring that it was sad, very sad that the 
Brancepeths should come to this ! 

In a corner of the inner hall, sitting well back on 
one of the divans, was a tall woman, dressed in black, 
closely veiled. She sat so still, and was in such an 
obscure angle of the wall, that she believed herself 
to be unnoticed, unrecognised. But, although nobody 
dared to speak to her, and although, respecting her 
evident intention, the sight-seers passed as if they had 
not even seen her, the whisper ran quickly round that 
the girl in the corner was Miss Harrington Brance- 
peth, and the chatter of the crowd gave place to 
silence as it streamed past her. 

Suddenly there appeared above the heads of the 
crush of women a face which caused the tall girl in 
black to start. Bearing down upon her, without a 
glance to the right or to the left, Hubert Besils held 
out his hand. 

Don’t stay here,” he said, gently. “ Come out- 
side.” 

And she rose without a word, and, taking the arm 
he offered, allowed him to guide her through the 
throng out into the open air. 

Here her composure broke down. 

''Isn’t it dreadful?” moaned she, looking with 
swimming eyes at the group of pony-carriages which 
were stabled everywhere, in the drive, on the lawn, 
under the trees. " Oh, to see those old women finger- 
ing poor papa’s tankard and turning over the coun- 
terpanes to find out the darns ! Oh, how I hate them 
all ! I hate them !” 

" Why did you come ?” 


276 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


“ I couldn’t keep away. I wanted to have one 
more look at the old place, and at the old things. 
Oh, I didn’t think I cared for them !” 

Would you like to live here again, say, with a 
husband ?” 

“ No. Oh, no ! It tears my heart to walk through 
the place, remembering the time when we were all 
here together. No, I am glad I have to go away. 
And I am sorry I came to-day.” 

“ I may tell you one thing. I shall be here my- 
self to-morrow, and so you can tell me what things 
you would like to have.” 

He took a catalogue from his pocket. But she, 
with a hasty gesture, pushed it and the hand that 
held it away. 

“ No,” she said, imperiously, “ I cannot buy them, 
and I will not have them as a gift. I owe you quite 
enough already. I have told Athelstan about that,” 
she added, looking up into his face with earnest eyes, 
“ and he says he will be able to pay it all back him- 
self in time.” 

I am glad of that.” 

Something in his quiet tone, and in the twinkle 
she saw in his eyes, made Harry flush deeply. 

“ You think we haven’t got it in us to earn money, 
to do anything but waste it !” she said, hotly. 

I assure you I don’t think anything of the kind.” 

‘'But you are wrong,” she went on in the same 
tone. “ People are beginning to see that we are not 
so bad as it was the fashion to think us. Why, Mr. 
Griffith has almost given his consent to Athelstan’s 
marrying his daughter Kathleen — some day !” 


A SPOILT GIRL, 


277 

Has he, indeed ?” 

‘‘ Yes, and Lord Ambry himself says Athelstan 
saved his life, and apologised for having him taken 
up. So you see there is some good even in the 
Brancepeths, after all !” 

“ You astonish me !” 

Harry did not like the tone Hubert was taking. 
He seemed to be laughing at her. 

I am going in-doors again now,” she said, turn- 
ing away abruptly. 

‘‘ Why, when it only makes you miserable ?” 

I may as well be miserable there as anywhere else.” 

‘^Why be miserable anywhere, Harry?” asked 
Hubert in her ear, as he followed her over the grass. 

Or at least, if you must be miserable, you might 
have the good taste not to obtrude your misery upon 
me just now. I want your congratulations. I am 
going to be married.” 

In spite of herself, Hany, whd was a little in ad- 
vance of him, stopped short for the space of half a 
second. Then she went on again without turning 
round. 

“ I do congratulate you,” she said. ** I hope you 
— you will be happy. Now I’m going in. I want 
to see whether — whether anybody is looking at — at 
the foxes’ pates.” 

She hardly knew what she was saying. Hubert 
drew a sharp breath between his teeth. 

'' One moment,” he said, venturing to lay upon her 
arm a detaining hand. “ I must show you her por- 
trait. You would like to see what she is like, wouldn’t 
you ?’^ 


278 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


“ Yes. I will — another time.’^ 

“ No, you must see it now !” 

He was dragging her back by main force across 
the lawn towards the deserted kitchen-garden behind 
the house. The crowd had been kept out of this by 
the gardeners, who had tied up the gate. Hubert 
coolly took out his pocket-knife and cut the cord. 

“ In here,” said he. 

And he led her in and tied up the gate again. 

Now,” said he, “ here is the portrait of the girl 
who is going to be Mrs. Besils.” 

Harry was losing patience. 

I don’t want to see her,” she said, with temper. 

But you must. I want your opinion of her. I 
think her a beauty. But I dare say you won’t admire 
her as much as I do. That’s only natural, isn’t it?” 

She said nothing, but put up her hand to her black 
bonnet to draw her veil a little closer. 

“ Look,” said he. 

Harry gave a sidelong glance down. And the 
portrait he held in his hand was a little crayon draw- 
ing of herself made by Lady Maggie when Harry 
was only fourteen. 

Do you think she’ll make me a good wife ?” 
asked he, in a manner of extreme innocence. 

“ I knew what you were going to do. Oh, I knew 
quite well,” answered Harry, with excitement. “ You 
need not think your trick was successful. That is 
not the portrait of the girl you are going to marry : 
it is mine.” 

She snatched at the picture, but failed to secure it. 
She was in truth infinitely relieved to discover whose 


A SPOILT GIRL. 2/9 

it was, although it was true that for a few seconds 
past she had had some very shrewd suspicions. 

It is the portrait of the girl Fm going to marry, 
all the same,” said Hubert, quietly. “ Perhaps I am 
going to marry her very soon, perhaps I am not. 
But in the long run she will drop into my mouth like 
a ripe pear. I don’t want to hurry her ; she can take 
her own time.” 

Haven’t I told you I would never be your wife ?’* 
said Harry, not violently, not so very decidedly, but 
with a sort of feeble defiance. 

“Yes. I daresay that’s one of the reasons why 
I’m so determined to have you. I have always been 
fond of a struggle for what I wanted.” 

Hariy made no answer, and her proud attitude 
gradually changed to a limp and drooping one. 
Hubert saw that she was in no mood to make much 
of a fight, and he was sorry for the poor lassie’s 
broken spirit. 

“ I only mean, dearest,” he said, in a very gentle 
tone, “ that I am longing for your hand to hold in 
mine, longing to comfort you, longing for you to 
come to me and make me happy.” 

She turned upon him a pair of eyes which were 
full of a passionate sadness, which yet had some 
gleam of hope behind. 

“ Then if, as you say, you are fond of a struggle, 
you must ask some other woman to be your wife. 
For I — I have no more heart to struggle, no more 
spirit to hold out !” 

And, with the tears running down her face, she 
let him take her in his arms. 


28 o 


A SPOILT GIRL. 


“ Why, oh, why did you go away ?” she sobbed 
out at last, hastily drying her eyes. 

“To get rid of my sister for a little while until 
things had settied down ; she thought I didn’t mean 
to come back.” 

“ And what will she say when she knows ?” 

“Nothing. She is a wise woman, and she will 
accept the situation when it is made. And now, my 
darling, look at this catalogue and choose your wed- 
ding presents.” 

And they looked at the catalogue, and at each 
other, until the evening mists grew too thick and the 
sun sank too low for them to see any more. 

In a few weeks Harry and Hubert were quietly 
married. Only Lady Maggie and Athelstan were at 
the wedding. And the bride and bridegroom fled 
away on their travels as unostentatiously as possible. 

Athelstan looked after the modest cab which drove 
them to the station with wistful eyes. He was in- 
stalled in his secretaryship, and was proving himself 
by no means the incompetent person a Brancepeth 
might have been expected to be. 

But, though he is happy in his engagement to 
Kathleen, now duly authorised, his heart aches for 
the old times at Culverley Place, and for the three 
wild brothers who are in exile away over the sea. 


THE END. 


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The Quick or the Dead? 

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(MRS. ARTHUR STANNARD.) 


Every Inch a Soldier. 

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JULIEN GORDON. 


Now and then, to prove to men— perhaps also to prove to 
themselves — what they can do if they dare and will, one of these 
gifted women detaches herself from her sisters, enters the arena 
with men, to fight for the highest prizes, and as the brave Gotz 
says of Brother Martin, ^shames many a knight.'* To this race 
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Poppaea. 

A Diplomat’s Diary. 

A Successful Man. 

Vampires, and Mademoiselle Reseda. 

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the other domestic and decorous, — it is worked out with much skill 
and alertness of treatment to its inevitably tragic issue.” — N. K 
World. 


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